Information and Broadcasting Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Zahed Ur Rahman has said the army no longer holds magisterial powers following the election, and that responsibility for maintaining law and order now rests with other law enforcement agencies.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday at the Information Department conference room at the Secretariat, he said the army is currently deployed mainly as a striking force, playing a supportive role in ensuring security.
He said the law and order situation had earlier been fragile, and the presence of the army in the field helped build public confidence and acted as a deterrent to crime. However, he stressed there is a clear difference between the pre-election and post-election contexts.
“Earlier, the army had the authority to make arrests and take various legal actions independently. At present, they are not directly involved in such activities,” he said.
Dr Zahed further said the army is now operating in a role similar to its election-time deployment—supporting civilian authorities when necessary rather than functioning as a direct law enforcement body. He added that once the situation fully stabilises, such deployment will not continue for an extended period.