Dhaka Cantonment’s MES building declared temporary jail

The government has temporarily declared a building inside the Dhaka Cantonment as a jail after the Army took 15 of its officers into custody following warrants issued by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for their arrest.

The Security Services Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification in this regard on Sunday.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 541(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure-1898 and Section 3(B) of the Prisons Act-1894, the MES Building No. 54 on Bashar Road in Dhaka Cantonment has temporarily been declared a jail,” stated the notification signed by Deputy Secretary Hafiz Al Asad.

It further added that the order was issued with the approval of the authorities concerned and will take immediate effect. The notification, however, did not specify the reason behind the decision.

Contacted, Col (retd) Mohammad Abdul Hoque, chairman of Retired Armed Forces Officers’ Welfare Association, told the Daily Sun that the move was lawful and not unprecedented internationally. “Many countries have declared Army buildings as jails when needed. It is not unusual, but to my knowledge, no Army building in Bangladesh had been declared a jail before,” he said.

Wishing anonymity, a retired brigadier general told the Daily Sun that he never heard that any Army building was declared a jail. “I think it will tarnish the image of the force to some extent. But the Army has huge, glorious achievements at home and abroad. The Army always remains beside the countrymen. The declaration of the jail will not affect the force badly,” he said.

Talking to the Daily Sun, Lt Col (retd) Shamsul Islam said he had no knowledge of whether the government had turned any Army building into a jail earlier. “But the government can do it if needed,” he said.

 On 8 October, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 issued arrest warrants for deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her former Defernce and Security Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and 25 former and incumbent Army officers in separate cases filed over enforced disappearances.

On 11 October, Major General Md Hakimuzzaman, the adjutant general of the Bangladesh Army, told journalists that they took 15 officers, including 14 serving ones, into their custody. But one senior officer named Major General Kabir Ahmed remained missing.

Some politicians and legal experts have described the Army’s prompt response as a landmark moment.

They noted that it marks the first time in Bangladesh’s history that Army personnel have been prepared to face trial under a civilian judicial process.