No arrest in plain clothes: Home adviser

The Detective Branch (DB) of the police will no longer be allowed to arrest suspects while in plain clothes, said Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

Speaking to the press after inspecting the DB office in Dhaka today (6 January), Adviser Jahangir Alam said that the police will no longer be permitted to make arrests without proper identification.

"From now on, no suspect will be arrested by the DB while they are in plain clothes," he warned.

The adviser emphasised operational transparency, instructing DB personnel to wear official jackets and ID cards during operations and prohibiting actions outside the law.  

"There is no such thing as aynaghor here, and there will never be. There are also no food hotels here," he clarified.   

Addressing border abductions, he said all kidnapping victims from the Teknaf border area have been rescued. Efforts are ongoing to keep the border peaceful, despite challenges posed by Myanmar and unrecognised groups like the Arakan Army. 

"Our border is under control," he asserted.  

On rising street crimes, he acknowledged an uptick in snatching incidents but noted many arrests had been made. 

"Law enforcement agencies are working to normalise the situation gradually," he added.  

Regarding reports of Bangladeshi expatriates in Libya being tortured for ransom, he described them as a significant national asset. 

"They endure hardships to send money home. We are making maximum efforts to address their issues, but we need victims to report such incidents to us."  

In addition, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury outlined the government's ongoing efforts to modernise the passport system.

He revealed that the government aims to fully implement electronic passports (e-passports) by December this year, replacing the current machine-readable passports.

"The government is working towards transforming all passports into electronic versions. We aim to complete this project within this year," he said, adding that he hoped to complete the task during his tenure.

The Home Affairs Adviser also acknowledged concerns over the time it takes to obtain a passport, promising improvements. 

"Currently, it takes too long to get a passport. I have instructed authorities to speed up the process."

Referring to the Rohingya issue, Jahangir Alam made it clear that the government would not allow Rohingya refugees to use Bangladeshi passports, indicating that discussions would be held regarding the police verification process for passport issuance.

The Home Affairs Adviser also warned that anyone residing in Bangladesh without a valid visa must obtain one by 31 January, or legal action would be taken against them. 

"If people do not acquire their visas by the end of January, we will be forced to take legal measures," he added.

The adviser also invited the media to expose corruption and irregularities, urging truthful reporting. 

"Your truthful stories have reduced India's disinformation campaigns. Your support helps us take timely action," he concluded.