Home Minister orders police to avoid excessive force

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said law enforcement agencies have been instructed not to use excessive force while dealing with ongoing protests.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a meeting on the draft amended Cyber Security Act at the Secretariat on Wednesday (November 4).

On garment workers' protests, the minister said the government had already formed a wage board to set a new minimum wage, and its first meeting was held on Wednesday.

He said the board would consider the current economic situation, rising living costs and employers' financial capacity before recommending a reasonable minimum wage.

The minister alleged that some people were using workers to create unrest for political purposes, citing attacks on law enforcement vehicles and incidents of arson and violence.

He said the government was exercising restraint despite injuries to several law enforcement personnel and urged workers to return to their workplaces.

The new wage is scheduled to take effect on January 1, and the government has asked the board to announce it ahead of schedule.

-AJM