Home Minister
Public suffering for BNP’s mass sit-in programme won’t be tolerated: Minister
Issuing a note of warning, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said public suffering and anarchy centering the BNP’s mass-sit-in programme in the city will not be tolerated.
“BNP won’t face any obstruction if they hold their programme peacefully. If their programme becomes reason of public suffering then it won’t be tolerated,” he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating a Mujib Corner at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters.
The government did not create any obstructions to BNP’s programmes but the party resorted to violence in their previous programmes, he said adding “The law enforcers will resist them if they block roads and carry out vandalism and destructive activities in the name of mass sit-in programme.”
Also Read: Will act against those trying to create anarchy: Home Minister
Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan and high official concerned were present.
Earlier, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced mass sit-in programmes in all divisional cities of the country on January 11. The party will organise the sit-in programme in Dhaka in front of its central office at Nayapaltan.
Will act against those trying to create anarchy: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today said that action will be taken if anyone tries to create anarchy in the country.
Political parties have to do politics, abiding by rules, the home minister said at the inauguration ceremony of Upazila Ansar and VDP office in Bagha of Rajshahi.
Read more: There was no lack of security during US ambassador’s Shaheenbagh visit: Home Minister
He said that the law and order situation in the country is satisfactory and the police force is working with patriotism and bravery. “If political parties of the country do not follow rules, they will be held accountable.”
“Every force is working efficiently. Ansar and VDP are among them,” said the minister, adding that when police cannot be deployed in elections, Ansar personnel are deployed.
“Around 2,00,000 Ansar members performed their duties bravely when arson attacks were carried out in the country,” the minister said.
Regarding killings at Bangladesh-India border, the home minister said, “Talks have been held with India to stop border killings. They (India) also do not support such killings.”
Read more: Fardin Noor: Home Minister puts faith in RAB, DB investigation
Besides, India has requested the Bangladesh government to take care of the issue of free movement in the border areas, he added. “The government is also keeping an eye on it.”
If there is a problem at the border, an immediate flag meeting is being held. The home ministries of both countries are also working together to solve various problems and crises, the home minister said.
In order to make the field level activities of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP more dynamic and up to date, construction of upazila Ansar and VDP model buildings is underway in 13 upazilas of Bangladesh.
Construction of nine Upazila Ansar and VDP buildings has been completed.
Committee formed to discourage Rohingyas from using Myanmar mobile network: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today said the government has been monitoring the use of Myanmar mobile network in Rohingya refugee camps and had formed a committee to discourage it.
“The committee will soon find a solution and make arrangements so that Rohingyas can use Bangladeshi network,” he said to media after attending the sixth meeting of the national committee on coordination, management and law and order of forcefully displaced Myanmar citizens at the Secretariat on Sunday.
Read: There was no lack of security during US ambassador’s Shaheenbagh visit: Home Minister
“We have discussed in detail about the arrangement to let Rohingya refugees enter our network. The Bangladesh Army has almost completed building a security fence, patrol road, and watch tower around the refugee camp. Ninety-five to 99 percent of the work is already complete,” he said.
He said according to the recent report, 65% of Rohingya population has been brought under birth control campaign.
The government is giving its all-out effort for Rohingya repatriation and hopefully a solution will be reached soon, said Asaduzzaman.
When asked how many Rohingyas the US wants to take from Bangladesh, the minister said they are taking the Rohingyas by providing visas themselves.
Read: No rally to be allowed on streets: Home Minister
“Three years ago the United Nations representative for the Netherlands had shown interest in taking Rohingyas to me but I got to know that the country only took seven of them and Australia took 24. The number is quite poor and I don’t want to bring people’s attention to that,” he said.
However, the US informed Bangladesh in detail about how many Rohingyas they want to take and how.
There was no lack of security during US ambassador’s Shaheenbagh visit: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said there had been no lack of security when US Ambassador Peter Haas visited Dhaka's Shaheenbagh area recently.
While talking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said police personnel rushed to the spot immediately.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said the situation that US Ambassador Peter Haas faced could not be seen as a "security threat".
Read more: DUTA slams US Ambassador for ‘contradictory’ behaviour
“There is no scope to see it as a security threat,” he told reporters at the Foreign Service Academy on Thursday evening, noting that the incident will have no impact on Dhaka-Washington relations.
Ambassador Haas visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of Mayer Dak, an organisation of the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearance, at Shaheenbagh in the city on Wednesday morning.
Sanjida is the sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, who was reportedly disappeared in 2013.
When Haas was there, he was approached by members of another organisation - Mayer Kanna - a platform of family members of victims of earlier regimes, specifically the administration of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
The US ambassador met Foreign Minister Momen on an emergency basis at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs right after the incident.
Read more: US Ambassador visits residence of the coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’ in city
The Foreign Secretary said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen tried to explain the situation.
The US side said they have raised their “concerns” about this matter at the “highest levels” of the Bangladesh government.
Fardin Noor: Home Minister puts faith in RAB, DB investigation
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Friday said that the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Detective Branch (DB) of police must have revealed the reason behind the death of Buet student Fardin Noor Parash after proper analysis.
He said this in a response to reporters after paying homage at the Martyrs' Memorial of Rajarbagh Police Line in the capital marking of the Victory Day.
Regarding DB’s report revealing Fardin’s death by suicide, the minister said, “Rab and DB police are working on this case. They can say it well.”
Read more: DB to apprise court that Bushra has no link to Fardin’s death, says its chief
After a long 38-day investigation, on December 14, Additional Commissioner (Detective Branch) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Harunur Rashid claimed that Fardin died by suicide after scrutinizing the footages regarding Fardin’s movement before his death.
Then he went to Sultana Kamal Bridge around 2:34 am on November 4. He was alone on the bridge till 2:37am, he said.
“He didn’t know swimming and we believe that Fardin committed suicide by jumping off Sultana Kamal Bridge,” he said.
However, Fardin’s father Kazi Nuruddin said that his son did not kill himself, he was murdered.
Meanwhile, DB police will give a report to the court that Amatullah Bushra, a 3rd year student of East West University who is now in jail, has no connection with Fardin’s death, said DB chief on Thursday.
Read more: Fardin didn’t commit suicide, he was murdered, claims father
Fardin was a 3rd year student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s (Buet) civil engineering department and a resident of Qutubpur area in Narayanganj's Fatullah.
Police recovered Fardin’s body from the Shitalakhkhya River, behind a cotton mill at Siddhirganj, on November 7, three days after he went missing.
Sheikh Farhad, a physician at Narayanganj General Hospital where the autopsy was done, said there were several injury marks on Fardin’s head and body.
Kazi Nuruddin Rana, Fardin’s father, filed a case in connection with his son’s killing with Rampura Police Station on the same day and the case was later transferred to Detective Branch (DB) Police.
No rally to be allowed on streets: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said BNP will not be allowed to hold their rally at Nayapaltan on December 10 and the government is thinking about Kalshi field as an alternative venue.
“No anarchy will be allowed in the name of rally and no rally will be allowed on streets,” the minister told reporters after visiting the police members who sustained injuries during Wednesday’s clash at city’s Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.
Replying to a question he said Kalshi field is being considered as alternative venue and BNP will receive full assistance from police in this regard.
Read more: BNP executed its plan at Nayapaltan yesterday: Quader
“There is no objection if you (BNP) hold peaceful meetings, rallies but if you vandalise, harm life and assets the law enforcers will not sit idle. It is their job to give people protection,” he added.
Regarding the police drive at Nayapaltan yesterday, the home minister said that the operation was conducted considering the situation.
Read more: Man in Argentina jersey during BNP-police clash in Nayapaltan identified as Ansar member
“Police recovered 15 unexploded hand grenades, rice, pulse and firewood from BNP office. We don’t understand why should rice, pulse, firewood should be brought for a political rally,” he said.
“I’ve heard BNP had prepared to take position for an indefinite period in Nayapaltan area. They have no more plan to hold a rally,” he added.
If Khaleda joins BNP’s Dec 10 rally, court will take steps: Home Minister
If BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia attends the party’s December 10 rally in Dhaka, court will take necessary steps, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said today (November 30, 2022).
“Khaleda Zia is out of jail on condition, and if she joins the public rally, the court will take steps,” the minister said while speaking at an annual training programme of Bangladesh Police Women Network in Dhaka’s Rajarbagh area.
Read more: DMP gives BNP 26 conditions for holding Dec 10 rally at Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan
BNP received permission to hold their rally at Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on December 10 and the government has allowed them to conduct it smoothly, the home minister said, adding, “If they initiate any kind of violence, it will be a big mistake.”
BNP initially sought permission to hold the rally at either Suhrawardy Udyan or Manik Mia Avenue. They got permission to hold the event at Suhrawardy Udyan as Manik Mia Avenue, where the National Parliament is located, is a restricted area, said the minister.
Location of escaped militants to be traced soon: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal hoped that the location of the escaped militants will be traced very soon.
The minister said this in response to the journalists' questions after inaugurating the 2nd Sheikh Kamal SAARC Snooker Championship in the capital on Saturday.
" Law enforcement agencies are working and hopefully we will get the probe report soon, he added.
When questioned about Major (retd) Syed Ziaul Haque, the chief coordinator of Ansar Al Islam, the home minister said militant Zia is frequently changing his location and that is why its taking a bit more time to arrest him. But he will be arrested soon, the minister said.
Earlier, Home Ministry and Dhaka Metropolitan Police formed two separate committees to investigate the incident.
On Sunday, unidentified persons attacked police personnel and whisked away two operatives of banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam -- Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir alias Imran, and Abu Siddique Sohel -- from the court premises, who were sentenced to death in Jagriti Publications publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan murder case.
Publisher Dipan, son of Prof Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq of Dhaka University, was hacked to death in his office on the second floor of Aziz Supermarket at Shahbagh in the city on October 31, 2015.
Five police personnel were suspended following the incident.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh police announced Tk 10 lakh for information for each.
The government has issued red alert at all the entry and exit points of the country to arrest them.
No permission given to BNP yet to hold rally at Nayapaltan: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Saturday said no official permission has been given to BNP yet to hold their rally in Dhaka’s Paltan area.
He said this in response to a journalist’s question after inaugurating the 2nd Sheikh Kamal SAARC Snooker Championship in the capital.
“As big rallies cannot be held anywhere else except Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital, the government decided to give BNP permission for that venue,” he added.
Read more: BNP can hold rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on December 10: Home Minister
The home minister said BNP requested for Suhrawardy Udyan along with two other venues themselves and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner also found it to be suitable.
“There are some Awami League programmes scheduled to be held there, after that BNP will be able to hold their rally,” said Asaduzzaman.
When asked about BNP’s remark that the government will be forced to allow their rally in Paltan, he said the government has no obligation.
“Government permits only where suitable. No official permission has been granted to them yet to hold a rally at Nayapaltan area,” he added.
Read more: BNP to avoid AL's trap over December-10 rally: Gayeshwar
When questioned whether BNP can hold the rally anywhere else, the home minister said, “Where else can such a huge gathering be held? BNP requested for the venue in front of Parliament, but none is allowed to hold a rally there.”
DMP to decide venue for BNP's Dec 10 rally: Home Minister
The venue of BNP's divisional rally scheduled to be held in Dhaka on December 10 will be decided by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.
The minister said this while talking to journalists at his Secretariat on Sunday (November 20).
BNP is a political party, so its leaders and activists definitely know the procedures and we hope they hold the meeting by maintaining law and order. If they break the law or destroy properties, the security forces will take action, added the minister.
Read: After 7 successful rallies, Fakhrul declares: ‘No election in Bangladesh without caretaker govt’
"When asked if the government would give permission if the BNP wants to hold a rally in front of the party office, he said, ' BNP wants to gather 25 lakh people at one place. Don't know where they will go? Can you imagine what will happen when 25 lakh people gather somewhere? We have asked the Commissioner (DMP Commissioner) to determine if there is such a big field somewhere in Dhaka and give them permission to hold a meeting there."
"Since we are not obstructing political activities, if they organise such a programme, they should do so in a place where so many people can stand," the minister said.
The minister said, 'He (DMP Commissioner) should find such a place where so many people can gather. So, he will make arrangements wherever the commissioner wants.