Bangladesh interim government gives magistracy powers to Army for 60 days
This provides soldiers administrative and policing powers across the country, including the power to arrest.
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The interim government in Bangladesh on Tuesday granted magisterial powers to the country’s Army for 60 days, reported PTI.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Public Administration issued an order to this effect. The powers will be vested with commissioned Army officers.
This comes against the backdrop of the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League regime amid massive anti-government protests and the establishment of an interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz Zaman had briefly taken charge of the government after Hasina fled to India on August 5. The Yunus-led administration has faced challenges in restoring law and order since it took over on August 7.
The latest development gives the Army administrative and policing powers across “entire Bangladesh”, as per the order, including the power to arrest people and disperse rallies that it deems to be unlawful.
Section 17 of the country’s Code of Criminal Procedure gives Army officers the status of special executive magistrates and says that they will be subordinate to the district magistrates.
In self-defence and extreme need, the officer can open fire, The Daily Star quoted an unidentified government adviser as saying.
“We are witnessing subversive acts and disrupted stability in several places, especially in the industrial areas across the country,” PTI quoted Asif Nazrul, the adviser for...
