Dhaka:Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has clarified that no formal decision has been made to launch a joint operation within the country. Instead, he described the coordinated efforts by law enforcement agencies such as the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Ansar as part of routine processes aimed at addressing terrorism, extortion, and drug-related issues.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Ahmed emphasized that these coordinated activities are ongoing and will be intensified in the future. He made these remarks during a press briefing after the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the new headquarters of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
The government has allocated 3.428 acres of land for building a modern and larger headquarters for Ansar and VDP, addressing the current space and transport limitations at their existing Khilgaon location. The minister mentioned that about 20,000 battalion Ansars and 60,000 embodied Ansars are serving in Bangladesh, supported by approximately 60 lakh trained personnel under some 35,000 Village Defence Party team leaders.
Additional facilities in Ashulia and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar are being developed to meet the accommodation needs of centrally deployed Ansar members. The minister praised Ansar and VDP for their role in maintaining law and order during national crises and assured that their financial and other demands would be addressed progressively.
Regarding law enforcement personnel, Ahmed stated that actions are taken in cases of duty negligence or criminal involvement, including departmental legal action and criminal charges where necessary. He affirmed that no destabilizing forces would disrupt the country during December, the month of victory.
On traffic management, Ahmed highlighted the introduction of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance traffic enforcement in Dhaka, with systems now processing cases automatically. He also mentioned that construction and excavation work on roads should be completed in sections to minimize congestion.
Senior officials, including the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manzur Morshed Chowdhury, and Director General of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force, Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud, attended the briefing.