AL cohorts using looted money to destablise country: Home adviser at emergency press briefing

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has blamed the Awami League and its cohorts for the ongoing volatile law-and-order situation in the country.

"AL supporters are doing everything to cause instability. They have looted a lot of money and using it to destabilise the country," he said at an emergency briefing at around 3:00am tonight (24 February) in his Bashundhara residence. 

"We will never allow this to happen. Whenever needed, our law enforcement will go and put a stop. I will make nights sleepless for the AL men, they will find no safe place," he warned.

"Patrols will increase to ensure nothing bad happens from tomorrow," said the adviser, adding that instructions have been given in this regard and that negligence in the duty will result in action.

"Our work will continue through Devil Hunt. We will make sure these criminals cannot sleep, sit or stand anywhere," said Jahangir. 

The government will always take strict actions against criminals, be it through operations like the 'Devil Hunt" or any other methods, he stated. "With you and all together, we will improve the situation further. Devil Hunt or whatever, we will always take strict actions against criminals."

"What was the condition of the police and Ansar when I came? Have they not improved? I leave that to you to judge," he said on criticism over his role as the home adviser in tackling the ongoing situation.

On the groups in motorcycles involved in muggings, he said, "I have already instructed on two persons per bike and must wear helmets."

The adviser's emergency briefing comes amid calls for his resignation by students of Dhaka University, Rajshahi University and netizens for his failure to check the surging crimes across the country.

Earlier tonight, a group of protesting Dhaka University students issued an ultimatum to the adviser to resign within Monday.

They issued the ultimatum after a short procession on the DU campus, shortly after a gold trader was shot in the capital's Banasree by unidentified men.

"Today, we want to announce from Raju Memorial Sculpture that if the home affairs adviser does not resign by 1:00pm on Monday, we will take action at the field level. They will have to give an account of what each of them has done in the past six months," one of the protesting students, Shakib Ahmed, said during a rally at the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture after the procession. 

Speaking on the demands for his resignation at the press briefing, the adviser said, "This is not the first time people have wanted me to step down."

He said in regards to their complaints, if he can improve the situation, there would be no reason for him to step down.

On the Banasree incident, he said, "Mostly it was [done by] AL cohorts. I know of the incident. If I find any lacking in the law enforcement there, they will also be brought to book."

On the issue of rising crimes against women, he said, "I  am telling my mothers and sisters, there is nothing to fear. We are very alert about your matter, and  so are law enforcement agencies."

Earlier, around midnight, a gold trader was robbed and shot in the capital's Benasree. This came on the heels of numerous incidents of crimes which have rocked the country in recent weeks.

Earlier today, RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman said the country's overall law and order situation can worsen in Ramadan as "extortionists backed by political parties are now committing robberies, mugging and other crimes amid a crackdown on extortions following the mass uprising on 5 August 2024".