Dhaka: Bangladesh Army today announced its readiness to perform duties during the upcoming February elections, while awaiting directives from the Election Commission (EC). ‘The military will discharge its duties in line with the Election Commission directives. We, however, are yet to get any formal (EC) directive,’ Colonel M Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff of the military operations directorate, stated at a press conference held at Dhaka Cantonment. He assured that the army was prepared to execute its responsibilities with utmost professionalism and expected to receive the necessary directives soon.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Colonel Islam provided updates on the recovery of weapons lost during last year’s July Uprising. Nearly 80 percent of the arms have been recovered, with 9,794 out of 12,119 stolen or looted weapons retrieved, and 287,359 rounds of 30,090 lost ammunitions recaptured. He expressed optimism that the remaining missing arms and ammunitions would soon be recovered.
The military spokesman reported that the army, also engaged in law enforcement duties, has arrested 17,926 individuals for various crimes, including 1,294 in the past month. These individuals are associated with ‘juvenile gangs’, listed criminals, wanted robbers, extortionists, and other crime suspects. Over the last month, army troops seized 65 illegally possessed weapons and 297 ammunitions during anti-crime operations targeting gangsters and robbers.
The official also addressed the recent violence at Kakrail area involving Gano Odhikar Parisad and Jatiya Party, where military troops intervened on August 29 after police failed to control the situation. Five army soldiers and six policemen were injured, and the windshields of a military pickup van were broken during the unrest.
In relation to Chattogram University violence, the spokesman clarified the military’s role following clashes between students and neighboring village residents after August 31 midnight. Police vehicles were vandalized, and several policemen were injured. Military troops intervened at the police’s request and restored order by early morning.
Colonel Islam also mentioned the September 2 incident involving Evergreen Company workers in Uttara EPZ of Nilphamari, where protests over unpaid wages and illegal layoffs led to injuries among several policemen and six army soldiers, with one soldier still in ICU.
Apart from plain land operations, military actions are ongoing in the southeastern Hill Tracts region. Troops destroyed a secret hideout of the outlawed KNF terrorist group at Ramu of Bandarban, seizing military hardware and arresting 37 ‘terrorists’ linked to groups like JSS, UPDF, and MLP.