‘harassment’ of innocent people during DRIVE

Govt high-ups irked

145 militants among 11,647 held in four days

Irked over the harassment of people by law enforcers in the name of the ongoing anti-militant combing drive across the country, the government top brass yesterday directed the home ministry to keep the law enforcing agencies from any such wrongdoings. In line with the instruction, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday asked the inspector general of police (IGP) to stop harassing innocent people. When contacted, the home minister told The Independent that he had instructed the IGP for taking necessary steps for not arresting the innocent people. We have made it clear that the police should harass no one during the drive, he said, adding that the prime minister was also monitoring the developments in this regard. It has been alleged that a section of police personnel were arresting innocent people as ‘suspected criminals’ during the drive and releasing them later in exchange for money. Sources said under the anti-militant drive, the police were arresting those whose arrest warrants were pending for a long time. After four days of the week-long anti-militant drive, 11,647 people, including 145 militants, have been arrested so far. Of them, arrest warrants were pending for 8,303 people on different charges, which indicates that police were not carrying out arrest warrants for a long time, the sources added. On the first day of the anti-militant drive, the police arrested 3,192 people, including 37 militants, while on the second day the number was 2,132, including 48 militants, 3,245 on the third day, including 34 militants, and 3,115 on the fourth day, including 26 militants. Leaders of the BNP claimed that over 2,000 of their activists have so far been arrested in the guise of the anti-militant drive.

harassment of innocent people during DRIVE

Govt high-ups irked

145 militants among 11,647 held in four days

Irked over the harassment of people by law enforcers in the name of the ongoing anti-militant combing drive across the country, the government top brass yesterday directed the home ministry to keep the law enforcing agencies from any such wrongdoings. In line with the instruction, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday asked the inspector general of police (IGP) to stop harassing innocent people. When contacted, the home minister told The Independent that he had instructed the IGP for taking necessary steps for not arresting the innocent people. We have made it clear that the police should harass no one during the drive, he said, adding that the prime minister was also monitoring the developments in this regard. It has been alleged that a section of police personnel were arresting innocent people as suspected criminals during the drive and releasing them later in exchange for money. Sources said under the anti-militant drive, the police were arresting those whose arrest warrants were pending for a long time. After four days of the week-long anti-militant drive, 11,647 people, including 145 militants, have been arrested so far. Of them, arrest warrants were pending for 8,303 people on different charges, which indicates that police were not carrying out arrest warrants for a long time, the sources added. On the first day of the anti-militant drive, the police arrested 3,192 people, including 37 militants, while on the second day the number was 2,132, including 48 militants, 3,245 on the third day, including 34 militants, and 3,115 on the fourth day, including 26 militants. Leaders of the BNP claimed that over 2,000 of their activists have so far been arrested in the guise of the anti-militant drive.