Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday emphasized the need to raise public awareness about mob justice, saying none has the right to take the law in own hands.
"No one has the right to enforce justice outside the law. If someone commits a crime, hand him/her over to the authorities," he said while talking to reporters after a meeting with police officers under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at the DMP Headquarters at Ramna in the capital.
His comments came hours after incidents of lynching a mentally challenged man at Dhaka University campus and former student and Chhatra League leader Shamim Ahmed alias Shamim Molla at Jahangirnagar University campus.
Jahangir Alam Chowdhury also directed the law enforcers to become more public-friendly and enhance their service-oriented approach.
"Police must not just appear efficient on paper. Their work and actions should prove they are truly serving the public," he said.
The adviser emphasized that the police must ensure the safety of the public while avoiding harassment of innocent individuals. "No one should be arrested without proper investigation, and law enforcement officials must always identify themselves before making an arrest."
He addressed concerns about harassment though filing of cases, saying, "The majority of cases are being filed by citizens who have long-standing grievances." He said this trend is expected to decrease over time as public frustration diminishes.
Home Adviser Lt. Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday asked the police personnel to be people friendly in a real sense.
"Police will really have to be people friendly. There is no chance to remain in black and white anymore," he said emerging from a view exchange meeting with Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) officials at its headquarters in the city Thursday morning. The Home Adviser said all want that the police to be a force of the people.
"The countrymen expect police to be people friendly. You (journalists) and I also expect so," he said.
The Home Adviser asked the police force to work for regaining their past glory discharging duties sincerely by enhancing morale.
"You (journalists) know, the police have incurred a huge damage (during the mass uprising). So, obstacles are being seen in their works in many stages. I have asked them to revive their past glory after being motivated mentally," he said.
He also provided some directions to the police including rendering quick services to the people, stopping extortion, corruption and harassment of the masses and solving the traffic related problems.
Mentioning that the people are going to police stations with various problems, he asked the police to solve their problems if possible and give them a patient hearing.
The Home Adviser also instructed the law enforcers to find the way out on how the traffic related problems can be improved. He, as well, asked the police force to stop taking extortionmoney.
"If the extortion can be contained, the price of the commodities would be brought to a tolerable level," he opined.
He ordered the police personnel to stop taking bribery and not to get involved in corruption as the menaces have reached every step of the society. About random cases, the Home Adviser said the police are not filing the cases.
The cases are being filed by the commoners, he said, calling upon them to lodge cases against the real offenders so that no innocent person is subjected to harassment. It would require long time to conduct investigations, he added.
In the past, he said police filed such cases naming 10 persons and several hundred of persons without names. But now, police are not filing such cases, he said.
The Home Adviser again assured that none would be arrested without investigation. "I have asked the DB (Detective Branch of police) not to arrest any innocent people rather to nab only the criminals," he said.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Mainul Islam and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md. Mainul Hassan were present at the view exchange meeting.
