No crime has gone unaddressed since govt took office: Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said the government has been able to ensure that no crime committed since it assumed office has gone unaddressed, with police arresting those responsible and bringing them under the law within a reasonable time.

“We cannot expect a revolutionary change overnight. Since taking responsibility, there has not been a single incident or crime where the police could not arrest the perpetrators or bring them under the purview of law immediately after it occurred. Not a single incident! This is the achievement of the current government in Bangladesh,” he said.

The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion and prayer programme organised by BNP in front of its central office at Nayapaltan in the capital to mark Eid-e-Miladunnabi.

BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed also attended the programme.

Speaking about the law-and-order situation, Salahuddin said the government inherited law-enforcement agencies from a Bangladesh that was in a chaotic situation following the 2024, July uprising.

“We have to consider together the law-enforcement agencies we inherited, the Bangladesh we received after the mass uprising of 2024, the sky-high expectations and public aspirations and our own expectations,” he said.

He said the government is simultaneously working to modernise the law-enforcement agencies, boost their morale and motivate them to work as servants of people.

“These are the things we have to do together and we are doing so,” he said.

Salahuddin said the morale and condition of the police and other law-enforcement agencies remained fragile when the government assumed office.

“I sometimes praise the police force and all the law-enforcement agencies. I do so because, given the broken morale and fragile condition in which we found them, within these six months we have been able to improve their position. Their morale has returned and they have become determined to suppress crime with full strength,” he said.

Referring to a recent incident in Rangpur, the minister said everyone involved have been brought under the law within a reasonable time after the incident occurred.

“From the Ramisa murder to every incident that has received national attention or has not received national attention, we have been able to address every crime, take them through the appropriate legal process and produce the accused before the courts,” he said.

He added that, where necessary and according to society’s demands the government has cooperated to ensure that judicial proceedings are completed within a short period.

“You all know everything. I think it would not be right to expect much more than this in such a short period,” he said.

The home minister promised that the police force would eventually become a people-friendly institution.

He said changes are being made to the legal frameworks of other law-enforcement agencies and that their accountability and transparency would also be ensured.

“InshaAllah, under the leadership and direction of our Prime Minister, the leader of the people of this country, Tarique Rahman, we will be able to improve the law and order situation to such a level that, InshaAllah, public expectations will be fulfilled. This force will establish itself as a people-friendly force,” he said.

Among those present at the programme were BNP Chairman’s Adviser and Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam; Joint Secretary Generals Khairul Kabir Khokon, Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Abdus Salam Azad; Water Resources Minister Mohammad Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee; and leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated and associate organisations.