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Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir was wrong to make remarks about police resorting to “crossfire”, stressing that the government has a zero-tolerance policy towards extrajudicial killings.
“The government does not want crossfire; rather, it has zero tolerance for crossfire,” Salahuddin said on Tuesday.
He described the IGP’s remarks as inadvertent, saying the police chief should not have made such a statement while discussing law enforcement.
At an event in Dhaka’s Chawkbazar on Monday, Ali Hossain Fakir said police would resort to “crossfire” if necessary and if the government permitted it.
His comments triggered criticism from political parties, human rights organisations and journalists’ bodies.
The home minister reiterated that the government would not tolerate extrajudicial killings or deaths in custody, adding that upholding the rule of law and improving law and order were its top priorities.
He said no deaths in crossfire or in custody had occurred so far under the current government, while emphasising that all necessary measures would be taken to curb crime and ensure proper enforcement of the law.
The Police Headquarters had earlier issued a clarification, saying the IGP used the term “crossfire” to convey a tough approach to law enforcement, not to endorse extrajudicial killings or punishment outside the judicial process.
The controversy has prompted calls from several political parties and rights groups for the police chief to withdraw his remarks and be held accountable.
