Bangladesh Army chief meets Yunus, President Shahabuddin; discusses military's role in assisting civil administration

Dhaka: Bangladesh's Army chief Gen Waker-uz-Zaman on Monday met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and President Mohammed Shahabuddin, and discussed the military's role in assisting the civil administration, amid deteriorating law and order situation in the country.

In a statement, the army described the meetings as "courtesy calls" and said Gen Zaman briefed them about his recent visit to China and also "exchanged views in detail" about the law and order situation and the military's role in improving it.

Hours later, Yunus's office also issued a statement, saying he discussed with Gen Zaman the army’s role in assisting the civil administration under the present circumstances. He also "thanked the military for their continued contribution to the maintenance of law and order".

According to the statement, the chief adviser emphasised the need to streamline this role, including a clearly defined command structure and close coordination among all forces in the coming months, leading up to the elections.

"I have made a solemn commitment to the nation to deliver an election that would stand out in terms of voter turnout, participation of new and women voters, global confidence in safety and security, and its atmosphere as a celebration of democracy and rule of law," the statement quoted Yunus as telling the army chief.

Gen Zaman assured the chief adviser of his full cooperation with the interim government and said the army is committed to making the government successful in all its initiatives and programmes.

He also “urged the chief adviser not to pay attention to rumours”.

Officials said Gen Zaman was accompanied by several senior military officials as he first went to Yunus’s official Jamuna residence and then the Bangabhaban presidential palace for the back-to-back talks.

The army chief's meetings with the head of the state and the interim government chief came a day after he reportedly met Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Dhaka police asked its officers to “stay alert”.

The warning came amid “swirling rumours of a possible state of emergency” and reports that Gen Zaman met with Chief Justice Ahmed on Sunday, Bdnews24.com news portal reported.

“Many rumours are swirling today as well...That is why we’ve been told to stay alert and increase patrols,” a deputy commissioner told the news portal.

Talking to the media, the interim government’s law adviser Asif Nazrul said there were “many kinds of rumours in circulation, but so far they are just that” and “there is no reason to panic”.

The development came two days after the military action against a political outfit aligned with last year's student-led movement that toppled the government of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The action drew strong condemnation from Yunus’s government and different political parties.

The military, on the other hand, said it had acted in line with the government’s “zero tolerance” policy against “mob violence”.

On Saturday, Yunus’s office issued an “Official Statement of the Bangladesh Interim Government” condemning harshly the security forces over their action and particularly the “brutal attack" on Nurul Haque Nur, the chief of Gano Odhikar Parishad.

The interim government promised to launch a “thorough and impartial investigation into this heinous incident” with "utmost urgency" and no individual, “regardless of influence or position, will be spared from accountability".