Two advisers on Wednesday explained the decision of the interim government on giving magisterial power to the army.
In a major move, the government on Tuesday issued a circular giving magisterial power to the commissioned officer of the army for 60 days to improve the law and order and ensure public service as well.
Addressing a programme, Home Adviser Lt Gen Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Rtd) said the people would get benefit of bestowing magisterial power upon the army.
“The people of Bangla (Bangladesh) will reap benefit of bestowing the magisterial power upon the commissioned officers of
Bangladesh Army,” he said while replying to a query of reporters after the closing ceremony of the basic training for 40th BCS (Ansar) officers and 25th batch sepoy recruits at the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP Academy at Safipur in Gazipur.
Mentioning that the Army has long been working at the field levels to serve the people, he said, “The Army has been given the power to ensure public service and maintain the law and order.”
The Home Adviser said the law enforcement agencies have lack of manpower and the magistracy power has given to the Army to fill up the gap.
In another query, the Home Adviser said, “Bangladesh Army is a disciplined and people-friendly force. The commoners have no problem to make communication with them as well as taking help from them.”
In a separate programme, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul told reporters they witnessed that several subversive acts had been staged in some industrial areas of the country.
Under the circumstances, the army has been has been given the magisterial power to resist such ill efforts,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Public Administration Senior Secretary Dr Mokhlesur Rahman said Bangladesh Army was given magisterial power to bring public security into the confidence.
“The army has been given the magisterial power as the people can move in more friendly environment and feel secured alongside having confidence in security affairs,” he said while speaking to reporters at his Secretariat office .
He added that the army’s magistracy power is a message for the people that all law enforcement agencies have been working under an umbrella after August 5 changeover.
Asked about any conflict to be raised among the executive magistrates and the army for giving the magisterial power, he said, “It will not create any conflict with the activities of the executive magistrates. It is power of a state not the power of cadre. There are one state, one population and one government. I am working for the public interest like you. Giving magisterial power to army will yield good result.”
The government in a circular gave magistracy power to commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Army across the country under section 12 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, for 60 days.
