No plan to launch 'Operation Clean Heart': Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said the government has no plan to launch a formal “joint operation” but all law enforcement agencies will work in coordination to maintain law and order across the country.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after unveiling the foundation stone of the new headquarters of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) at Tejgaon in the capital.

Responding to questions, the home minister said there had been no announcement to form a joint force. Instead, different law enforcement agencies would carry out their activities in a coordinated manner.

Ansar, police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Special Response Battalion (SRB) and other forces would be involved in the coordinated activities, he said.

Asked whether the initiative was similar to the “Operation Clean Heart”, Salahuddin said there was no such plan.
The activities would be part of regular law enforcement efforts to combat terrorism, extortion, drugs and other crimes, he said.

*    Formation of Special Cyber Police Unit in process
*    Footpaths, pavements to be cleared of illegal occupation

The minister also acknowledged that negligence of duty by some members of law enforcement agencies had come to the authorities’ attention.

“Negligence of duty by some individuals has come to our notice,” he said, adding that appropriate action was being taken against those found responsible.

He said such action would not be limited to departmental measures such as withdrawal from duty and that legal action would also be taken where necessary.

Regarding traffic management in Dhaka, Salahuddin said measures were being taken to minimise unnecessary disruption caused by construction work while ensuring the proper implementation of development projects.

Automation in traffic management had already produced positive results in several areas, he said.

The government is working to establish a specialised cyber police unit with a proposed strength of 4,592 personnel, the minister said.

The proposed unit will include specialists such as cyber security experts, financial data analysts, crypto analysts, malware analysts and dark-web analysts.

An additional inspector general of police will head the unit, while officials of the deputy inspector general and additional deputy inspector general ranks will be responsible at the divisional and headquarters levels, he said.

Necessary personnel will also be deployed at district and police station levels, he added.

Salahuddin said the unit would initially begin operations with personnel drawn from the existing police force. Full staffing would subsequently be completed through recruitment.

The technology- and merit-based unit would also be equipped with modern cyber tools, he said.

The minister said work was underway to modernise the country's cyber security law.

He said several rounds of discussions had been held with journalists, editors and relevant experts on proposed amendments to the law.

Under the proposed legislation, cyber offences would be defined more specifically, while safeguards would also be considered to prevent innocent people from being harassed through misuse of the law, he said.

Regarding the recent unrest surrounding the eviction of hawkers from footpaths in Mirpur, the home minister said the government's objective was not to leave hawkers unemployed.

He said initiatives were being taken to arrange alternative employment opportunities or alternative locations for them. Efforts were also underway to introduce holiday markets, he added.

Businesses occupying footpaths and parts of roads obstruct pedestrian movement and increase the risk of accidents, the minister said.

He said ensuring citizens' normal access to footpaths was also the government's responsibility.

Salahuddin said the issue of hawkers was being considered from a humanitarian perspective.

At the same time, necessary measures would be taken to control illegal occupation and ensure the smooth movement of city residents, he said.