Law Enforcement Directed to Prepare for February Election

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 30th June 2025, 10:20 PM

The Home Ministry has instructed law enforcement agencies to begin preparations for the upcoming 13th General Election, scheduled for February. As part of these preparations, all relevant forces are to conduct at least two joint exercises involving officers from all agencies — one in September and another just prior to the election.

Coordination Meeting

These directives emerged from a core committee meeting on law and order held today (Monday) at the Home Ministry’s conference room in the Secretariat. A senior adviser warned police officers that election-related violence is almost inevitable, so preparations must be thorough. The aim of the drills is to coordinate a joint response, for example, if unrest breaks out at a polling centre.

Key Issues Raised

Area of Concern	Details
Policing Trends	Senior police officer noted improvements in law and order, but a rise in armed robberies remains troubling.
Sexual Violence Response	Adviser highlighted police apathy towards rape cases and stressed the importance of rigorous enforcement.
Public Transport Safety	The removal of dilapidated buses from Dhaka roads was discussed; implementation deferred to 6 August to avoid clashes with political activity in July.
International Terror Allegations	Discussion on 36 Bangladeshis arrested in Malaysia for suspected links to extremist groups; MoFA and police are to verify nationality prior to the arrests, and the government must be notified in advance of such detentions.
Missing Weapons	Approximately 1,500 firearms looted during July–August unrest remain unaccounted for; RAB and BGB to lead recovery operations, with a bounty scheme awaiting adviser approval.

Airport Magazine Incident

At a press briefing, Home Advisor Lieutenant General (Retired) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury addressed questions concerning advisor Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, whose luggage was found to contain a firearm magazine during screening at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport. Sajeeb was departing for the OIC Youth Capital programme in Marrakesh.

Chowdhury described the incident as “possibly a simple mistake”, comparing it to a passenger forgetting an item like spectacles. However, he emphasised that everyone must be treated equally under the law.

When pressed about such “mistakes”, he responded:

“…if he had realised, he would not have taken it.”

Asif Sajeeb had entered via the third checkpoint, evading the first two. The adviser noted that it is essential to apply screening protocols equally, without privilege for any individual.

Regarding the magazine, which some described as a .357 type, Chowdhury clarified:

“It wasn’t .357; it was part of his own licensed weapon’s pistol magazine, left by mistake.”

Licensing Concerns

Under the Firearms Licensing Rules 2016, applicants must be aged between 30 and 70. Addressing remarks about Asif’s age, the adviser stated:

“Regarding the age requirement and whether a legal licence was issued to anyone under 30, I have not fully examined the law and cannot comment.”

Oversight and Accountability

At the press conference, Chief Home Advisor’s Special Assistant Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, I.G.P. Baharul Alam, and RAB Director General A K M Shahidur Rahman were present. Instances of privilege in checkpoint passage were noted, with the adviser emphasising the need for uniform law enforcement.

These directives aim to bolster law and order, ensure preparedness for electoral violence, resolve outstanding firearm losses, and enhance security measures — especially in the context of the incident at the airport. The coming months will be critical as law enforcement agencies work to build capacity and public trust in the run-up to the election.