Benazir Ahmed, on his last day as Director General (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion, termed people’s coming out during lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic as “suicidal.”
“Many gathering at tea stalls or other places hide themselves instantly when they see the police. They return there once the police leave. This is suicidal,” he said.
“You go either to your grave, or to your house. The decision is yours,” he added.
He was speaking at an online press conference as he prepared to step down from the post of DG of RAB. He will take over as Inspector General of Police on April 15.
Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is taking charge as the new RAB DG on April 15.
Benazir urged Open Market Sale (OMS) dealers to inform the law enforcers before selling goods so that social distancing could be ensured.
To avoid gatherings and maintain social distancing, he advised people on keeping relief on the doorsteps of the poor at night.
On the issue of public representatives stealing relief materials allocated for impoverished people, he served a strict warning, saying: “The prime minister has zero tolerance over it. If anybody commits such crimes, we will take strict measures. No irregularities will be tolerated.”
About restrictions on inter-city travel, he said, “We have come to know that a few people are even trying to move to places by boat. We will not allow it to happen. Here, citizens’ awareness is much more essential than enforcing laws.”
When asked if due to the long-term lockdown situation incidents of robbery might increase, he said, “It’s a social problem, the police are aware of it. We have already arrested the group that committed the robbery in Dhaka.”
His tenure as DG
Benazir has been serving as director general of RAB - the elite force of Bangladesh Police - since January 2015.
Replying to a question about the challenges he had to face in his years as DG, Benazir said: “In the beginning of my taking tenure as DG, RAB was facing a lot of criticism. I had to bring back confidence (in the force) and restore its credibility in the eyes of the public. RAB is now a very reliable force.”
As chief of the elite force, putting an end to robbery from Sundarbans was a “major” success for him, he said. adding “Nobody could have done it in years. We have ousted 40 to 45 robber groups from there.”
After the operation against the Holey Artisan (Bakery) attack, morale in the country was revived with militancy being suppressed. He said: “Militancy has not been rooted out fully, as it is still present globally. (So) we don’t have any room for self-satisfaction.”