Police must arrest ‘AL terrorists’ even without lawsuits, or face music: Home adviser

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Wednesday said that the police must arrest Awami League’s “criminals” whenever they are spotted even if no lawsuit is found against them.

If certain police personnel fail to the comply with the directive, they themselves will face penalties, the adviser assured a group of student leaders after they blocked his convoy at Narayanganj BKMEA office, demanding visible action against Awami League.

Leaders from Students Against Discrimination, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, and Warriors of July were present at the scene, among other protesting groups.

They placed seven demands before the home adviser which include: swift arrest of Awami League leaders and members of the Osman family, recovery of looted firearms, arrest of the shooter of Sharif Osman Hadi, and keeping police stations and courts free from political influence.

The adviser said all the demands were “logical” and that some were already being addressed.

A supporter of July Uprising participant Osman Hadi said Awami League’s criminals were roaming openly but police were not apprehending them on the grounds that the alleged individuals had no cases pending against them.

On this, Adviser Jahangir said the “AL terrorists” must be detained even if they are not accused in any case.

Jahangir told the Narayanganj police superintendent, who was present with him, that the banned political party’s criminals must be arrested, irrespective of implication in lawsuits.

“You must immediately bring them under the law. If you fail, action will be taken against you as well," the adviser warned addressing the police officer.