The Bangladesh Army does not extend any special attention to a particular political party, said Colonel Shafiqul Islam, Staff Colonel of the Military Operations Directorate.
"The army extended protection to NCP leaders only because of threats to their lives. The focus of our action there was solely to save lives, nothing more. We never offer special support to any political party. We do not differentiate while performing our duties," he said while speaking at a press briefing held at Officers' Mess-A in Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday.
During the briefing, he responded to a wide range of questions from journalists concerning law and order and recent developments across the country.
"The army does not extend special protection to any political group. In Gopalganj, the NCP leaders faced credible life threats, and the army acted accordingly. Our only goal was to protect lives," he said.
Several attacks were carried out during the NCP rally in Gopalganj.
When asked whether the army had prior information on possible violence, he said, "Permission for political rallies must come from local authorities. We had no prior information. The situation in Gopalganj was unexpected. It wasn't just stone-pelting…crude bombs were also thrown. As there were threats to life, law enforcement had to use force, but no lethal weapons were used."
Referring to the Home Affairs Adviser's statement that the army opened fire in Gopalganj, Colonel Shafiqul said, "A committee has been formed to investigate the incident. We hope the inquiry will reveal the facts and present the truth."
In response to a query, he said, "So far, 5,576 people have been arrested in connection with drug-related offenses and extortion. If all law enforcement agencies responsible for controlling such crimes perform their duties effectively, we hope the number of incidents will decline further. We continue to carry out our operational duties and believe that with coordinated efforts, crimes like extortion can be reduced. Once suspects are handed over to the judicial process, our role ends."
Regarding the current situation in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) involving indigenous communities, he said, "Miscreants engage in extortion and illegal fundraising by creating unrest. We are continuing our operations there and will maintain our presence going forward."
When asked about the relocation of army camps in Bandarban and reports of illegal arms trade involving groups like the Kuki-Chin and Arakan Army, Colonel Shafiqul responded, "The army is ensuring protection in the Chattogram Hill Tracts and doing so effectively. Our current camps support ongoing operations. If needed, we establish temporary operating bases to conduct those operations."
Addressing social media reports alleging that army officer Major Sadique was training members of the ruling Awami League, he said, "We are aware of the matter involving Major Sadique, and an investigation is underway. We will provide full details once the probe is complete."
Responding to another question, the Army officer said, "We treat all equally in discharging our duties. Where there is a risk to public safety or threats to life, we take strict action or extend assistance accordingly. If we had not responded appropriately in Gopalganj, the outcome could have been far more tragic."
Comments