Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday said that no one holds the right to take the law into their own hands.
“If anyone commits any crimes, then the person should be handed over to the law enforcers. You don’t have the right to take the law into your own hands,” the advisor said in reply to a reporter’s query about the ongoing mob justice.
Commenting on the recent incidents at Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University, the adviser said he had taken notice.
“It was not supposed to happen as they (university students) are highly educated, an awareness should be there among them,” said Jahangir at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters after holding a meeting with top police officials. The advisor suggested creating mass awareness among the people to stop such mob justice so that no innocent person becomes the victim of harassment at any point.
At Jahangirnagar University, a former Chhatra League leader Shamim Ahmed, and at Dhaka University, a man named Tofazzal, was beaten to death last night.
Another topic brought up by reporters was that after the massive uprising of students and people, cases are being filed accusing hundreds, sometimes thousands, and the complainant does not even know who the accused are.
In response to a query on this, the advisor said, “Police used to file cases earlier. Have any police filed any cases during this period?”
“Police earlier used to file cases accusing tens, and hundreds of others unnamed. Police are not filling any cases… common citizens are filling the cases. Please come to me if you find any of such cases filed by the police,” said Jahangir.
Regarding the continuous filling of cases, the advisor said, “You have to tell this to the citizens that file cases against actual criminals.”
Referring to an example, he said, “A person came to me yesterday after preparing a first information report (FIR) accusing the main culprit at number 11 in the serial. Then I asked why he is in number 11, the main accuse should be named in number 1, but it is prepared by those people who are drafting the cases. The citizens are not even coming to the police to draft the FIR.”
Addressing the citizens, the adviser said, “I want to request you that only give those names who are guilty. Do not give names of others… as it is taking time for investigation, and we also need to take care so that no innocent is being harassed.”
“For this reason, we have also instructed not to arrest anyone without investigation so that no common people are harassed. And I have also instructed the DB (detective branch) not to arrest anyone without giving their identification,” he said.
Regarding the meeting with police officials, the advisor said that the police force suffered a lot, for which reason they have struggled to work.
Jahangir said that they have instructed the force so that police can regain their former glory by energising their minds so that people-friendly policing becomes a reality, and does not only remain on paper.
“People have often failed to address their problem even after going to the police station. It may not be possible to address the problem but these people should at least be given a patient hearing about how their work can be. Instructions are given about it,” Jahangir said about the meeting with police officials.
He said that there are problems in traffic control. Instruction has been given to address the traffic control problem, he said.
Jahangir further said that extortion needs to be stopped.
“The price of daily commodities will reduce if the extortion can be stopped,” he said.
“The bribery and corruption have swallowed the whole society. Instruction was given during the meeting on how the bribery and corruption can be stopped,” said the advisor.
Jahangir added, that the main point of discussion during the meeting was how fast police can go back to their previous form as quickly as possible and become people-friendly police as expected by everyone.
