No plan for special drive like Operation Clean Heart: Home Minister

The government has no plans to launch a special operation like Operation Clean Heart, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said, adding that the government currently faces no major challenges in maintaining law and order.

However, he said police officers were occasionally coming under attack while trying to arrest criminals, but law enforcement agencies were making every effort to bring offenders to justice.

He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after inaugurating the Cyber Police Centre and Digital Forensic Laboratory of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Dampara Police Lines in Chattogram on Wednesday morning.

The home minister said the nature of crime was changing rapidly worldwide, with cyber fraud, online blackmail, stock market manipulation and financial fraud among the growing threats. He stressed the need to expand the use of modern technology to detect, prevent and investigate such crimes.

He said modern digital forensic laboratories would be established at the headquarters of all eight administrative divisions soon. These facilities would strengthen the analysis of digital evidence and criminal investigations while helping detect and prevent online fraud, drug and arms trading, and militant activities.

He added that reliable evidence collected through these laboratories would help expedite judicial proceedings and reduce harassment of litigants.

Salahuddin Ahmed said a specialised cyber unit of the police had begun operations on October 1 under the leadership of an additional inspector general, in line with the government's plan to strengthen cybercrime prevention.

The new digital forensic laboratory will operate under the leadership of the CID, while different police units will coordinate their work in examining and analysing digital evidence, he added.

Responding to questions about law and order, possible sabotage and obstruction of arrests, the minister said police were continuing efforts to arrest criminals. He warned that anyone assisting an accused person in evading arrest would face appropriate legal action.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Kim Ji-jun, Chattogram-10 MP Saeed Al Noman and Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir attended the inauguration as special guests. Additional Inspector General of Police Sardar Nurul Amin and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Bangladesh Office Director Ji-hoon Kim were also present.

The event was chaired by CID Additional Inspector General Barrister Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain.

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