Adviser to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, has firmly stated that mob justice will no longer be tolerated in the country.
“Mob justice can no longer be allowed. Enough is enough. If anyone has an issue, they must seek legal recourse. The law and order situation has improved significantly compared to before,” he said.
He made these remarks on Tuesday at 3:30 PM during a views-exchange meeting held at the conference room of the Jashore District Administration, where he spoke with members of the armed forces and officials from various government departments.
Speaking as the chief guest, the Home Affairs Adviser highlighted the importance of recovering weapons that were looted from police stations during recent mass uprisings.
“We have not yet recovered all the weapons looted from different police stations during the popular uprisings. These weapons must be recovered as quickly as possible. In the meantime, many notorious criminals are being released on bail. We must be more careful. While the issue of bail is not in our hands, as judges grant bail based on their discretion, public prosecutors in the courts must remain vigilant,” he emphasized.
Addressing government officials, he said, “We are a non-political government. You can benefit more from us. We try to avoid requests or lobbying, especially regarding job postings. Though we may not have been able to avoid it entirely, we have tried our best to resist such pressure. You must ensure that officers-in-charge (OCs) of police stations do not take bribes.”
He also acknowledged that lobbying is still ongoing, stating, “Many people still lobby. Since becoming an adviser, my number of relatives and friends has suddenly increased, and many of them I don’t even know. So, if someone comes to you claiming to lobby in my name, first serve them tea and snacks, and then hand them over to law enforcement. If there is truly any urgent request, I will personally make the call.”
Directing his message to officers of the Department of Narcotics Control, the Home Affairs Adviser said, “The biggest problem in the country is drugs. Releasing 15,000 bottles of Phensedyl while showing recovery of only 500 bottles must stop.”
High-ranking government officials, including Jashore Deputy Commissioner Md. Azharul Islam, were present at the meeting.
