Google Alert – Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army has carried out extensive operations across the country over the past four weeks to ensure law and order and tackle crimes including terrorism, drug trafficking, and smuggling.
Brigadier General Md. Nazim-ud-Daula, Director of the Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters, shared the update during a press briefing held at the Officers’ Mess in Dhaka Cantonment. Colonel Md. Shafiqul Islam, Colonel Staff of the same directorate, responded to questions from journalists following the briefing.
According to the army, a total of 16,459 criminals have been arrested since the formation of the interim government, with 813 of those arrests made in just the last four weeks. During this period, 37 illegal firearms and 179 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Since August, 9,729 of 12,119 lost weapons and 287,033 rounds of ammunition have also been retrieved.
Those arrested include juvenile gang members, known terrorists, robbers, and other offenders. Notably, terrorist Yamin Siddiqui Nisat was arrested in Kalabagan on July 14 with a foreign pistol and bullets. On July 19, a raid in Rupganj led to the arrest of seven individuals along with the recovery of drugs and weapons.
The army also reported major progress in anti-drug efforts, arresting 55 drug dealers in areas such as Rampura, Mohammadpur, Uttara, Bhashantek, Faridpur, and Cumilla. Since August, 5,576 drug-related arrests have been made.
In anti-smuggling operations, Tk 1.12 crore worth of illegal medicines were seized in Sunamganj, while contraband cosmetics, clothing, and coffee were recovered from Sylhet.
Crackdowns also targeted corruption and consumer safety. Four brokers were arrested at BRTA offices in Dhaka and Purbachal for illegally issuing driving licenses. Two food outlets, ‘Taqdir Food Beverages’ and ‘Royal Slice’, were fined and shut down for producing adulterated food.
The army also intervened in illegal sand and stone extraction, recovering 34 boats, 7 bulkheads, 5 dredgers, 1 pickup truck, and 60,500 CFT of sand from Sunamganj and Sylhet, arresting 96 individuals involved.
Other notable actions included:
Arresting a miscreant during an attempted murder in Darus Salam on July 16.
Detaining two murder suspects in Mohammadpur and preventing mob violence.
Apprehending two women on July 11 for spreading false bomb threats on a Dhaka-Nepal flight.
Arresting Kamrul Mia, a key figure in bKash fraud and online gambling, along with associates in Faridpur, and seizing SIM cards and yaba pills.
On June 26, six individuals accused of torturing two women over a land dispute were arrested, and the victims received free advanced treatment.
During the July uprising, 889 injured civilians were treated at army-run medical centers. The army also ensured security during the Ulta Rath Yatra on July 5 and remains actively involved in maintaining communal harmony and protecting diplomats and embassies.
The army showed professionalism during the July 21 rescue mission at Milestone School in Uttara after an Air Force training aircraft crash. Out of 41 injured, 11 are still under treatment, while 14 deceased individuals were returned to their families. Twenty-nine soldiers were injured in the operation, one of whom remains hospitalized.
On July 22, five soldiers were hurt during an attack near the Secretariat amid protests by HSC examinees. They were initially treated at the Secretariat clinic and later shifted to CMH.
In the Chattogram Hill Tracts, major operations between July 3 and 31 resulted in the arrest of seven terrorists and the seizure of large quantities of arms and narcotics. Abandoned training camps were dismantled in Baghaihat and Bandarban. Additional contraband including yaba, crystal meth, cannabis, and illegal cigarettes was recovered along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
Responding to a media query, Brigadier General Nazim-ud-Daula confirmed that the army had intervened to protect members of the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Gopalganj who had received death threats.
He reaffirmed the Bangladesh Army’s commitment to maintaining law and order, combating crime, and safeguarding public safety across the nation.
SR