Islami Andolan flags govt-police coordination gap

Islami Andolan Bangladesh has said contradictory remarks by the home minister and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) prove a lack of effective coordination between the government and law enforcement agencies.

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf, assistant secretary general of the party and president of its Dhaka South city unit, made the remarks while addressing a monthly meeting of the party's Dhaka South unit on Friday (October 30).

He said people were living in fear amid a serious deterioration in the country's law and order situation.

Referring to recent remarks by IGP Md Ali Hossain Fakir on the possibility of crossfire with government approval, Maruf said Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed later rejected the statement, making it clear that the government did not support crossfire and maintained a zero-tolerance policy on the issue.

Maruf said such contradictory statements from senior officials reflected a lack of coordination and weakened the country's security framework. He called for direct intervention by the prime minister to ensure effective coordination between law enforcement agencies and the administration.

At the meeting, KM Shariatullah, secretary of the party's Dhaka South unit and chief coordinator of its central media cell, criticised the government for failing to implement promised reforms despite nine months having passed.

He warned that the public would not accept the government's delay and would respond in due course if the referendum verdict was not implemented.

-AJM