United News of Bangladesh

The government has announced cash rewards for information leading to the recovery of weapons looted from law enforcement agencies. Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury disclosed the reward plan on Monday following a meeting of the Core Committee on Law and Order at the Secretariat. The adviser said individuals providing information on looted weapons will receive significant incentives. If a Light Machine Gun (LMG) is recovered based on a tip, the informant will be awarded Tk 500,000, along with Tk 500 per round of ammunition, he said. Read: 92 arrested, 216 looted arms recovered from Sept 4 to Sept 25: Police HQ Other rewards include Tk 100,000 for a China-made rifle, Tk 150,000 for a sub-machine gun (SMG), Tk 50,000 for pistols or shotguns and Tk 500 for each round of bullet provided. The identities of informers will be kept secret. Talking about corruption in recruitment processes, Adviser Alam said those providing evidence of malpractice in admissions will also be rewarded, although no fixed amount has been announced for such cases. “We have taken measures to stop recruitment-related corruption. Over the past year, there has been no reported malpractice,” he said, emphasising the importance of reporting any bribery or corruption, while discouraging biased reporting. Commenting on issues like blocking roads facilitating the movement of the Gazipur Commissioner, Jahangir Alam said a notice will be served to the official as per regulations. Read more: 3,763 looted arms recovered till Sept 3: Police HQ About mob violence, the adviser said its prevalence has declined but not completely eliminated, and authorities are trying to recover as many weapons as possible ahead of the upcoming elections. “The election process depends on political parties and the public. You are questioning law and order today and that is the proof that people have got election oriented,” he added.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Monday that the overall law and order situation across the country, including the capital, remained satisfactory during Eid-ul-Azha, except for a few isolated incidents. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after visiting Jatrabari Police Station. “The law and order and security situation during Eid-ul-Azha was satisfactory. Except for a few isolated incidents, no major untoward events were reported in the capital or elsewhere,” he said. As part of his routine inspections to ensure public safety during Eid and the post-Eid holidays, the Home Adviser visited several police stations in Dhaka city. Home Adviser confident about Dhaka's security during Eid, says 500 patrol teams deployed At Jatrabari Police Station, he inspected the duty officer’s desk, the women and children’s desk and the lock-up facilities. He also enquired about the accommodation and food quality for police personnel, and exchanged Eid greetings with them.

Bangladesh does not engage in push-ins like India as it believes in diplomatic solutions, said Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday. “Bangladesh believes in a diplomatic solution to prevent the push-in problem through various borders by India. Bangladesh has always adhered to international laws and protocols. We have already written a letter to India through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve this issue,” he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating the Border Outpost in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira to strengthen border security. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Chief Adviser's High Representative for the Rohingya Issue and Priority Affairs Dr Khalilur Rahman have maintained diplomatic contacts to resolve this issue, he added. Mentioning that Bangladesh has requested India to return any illegal Bangladeshi nationals through official channels, the Home Adviser said, “If any Indian nationals are found staying illegally in Bangladesh, they will be repatriated through proper procedures. We have clearly told India not to carry out push-ins and instead use the proper diplomatic channels.” Govt committed to ensuring safety of healthcare providers: Home Affairs Adviser Noting that, the push-in attempts escalated after India demolished a Bengali settlement in Gujarat, where some Rohingyas from Bangladesh had also taken shelter, the adviser said, “Among those being pushed in, some are card-holding Rohingyas registered with UNHCR, while others are Indian Rohingyas. A formal protest note has been sent to India regarding the matter.” When asked whether Bangladesh intends to push back 370 people in response to India’s push-in of the same number, he said, “If they are our citizens, we have no right to push them back. We will not respond with push-backs. We will use legal channels for repatriation. Push-in or push-back is not a lawful method.” Regarding the newly inaugurated facility, the adviser said the floating BOP operated by BGB is an operational platform that will bolster riverine patrols and surveillance in border areas. “The floating BOP is not just an installation, but a strategic security measure reflecting BGB’s commitment to maintaining peace, stability and public safety in the border areas,” he said. This initiative is expected to foster a new culture of border security and improve effective border management, he added. He also noted that efforts are underway to form a specialised ‘Riverine Border Guard Battalion’ under BGB to enhance surveillance in water-bound border regions, especially in the Sundarbans, which will play a groundbreaking role in border management in the future. Home Adviser pledges to act against any AL efforts to organise The floating BOP will aid BGB in promptly responding to and preventing cross-border crimes such as smuggling, human trafficking, illegal activities and other threats, he added. Of the 4,156-kilometre Bangladesh-India border, around 180 km is riverine, including approximately 79 km in the Sundarbans. Two floating BOPs have already been established at Kachikata and Atharobeki. This is the third floating BOP. Director General of Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mohammad Ziaul Haque and Director General (DG) of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui were present at the inauguration ceremony. Later, the adviser visited the BGB’s Neeldumur Battalion in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira.