TDS Desk:

Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, adviser for home affairs, has said several individuals with arrest warrants issued by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) have already been apprehended, while efforts are ongoing to capture those who have fled abroad.

One hundred five individuals are accused in cases filed at the tribunal, of whom only 35 have been arrested so far, leading to frustration among the authorities, Jahangir said while responding to questions from journalists on Wednesday after visiting the River Police Headquarters in Gulshan, Dhaka.

Regarding the efforts to detain the accused, he said: “Many of those with arrest warrants from the ICT have been captured. However, the key figure (Sheikh Hasina) is not in Bangladesh. How can we apprehend someone who is not in the country? The police cannot simply bring them back. We are actively working on this and leveraging an existing extradition agreement with our neighbouring country to facilitate their return.”

When asked about ongoing road blockades, allegedly aimed at destabilizing the government, Jahangir urged the media’s cooperation in addressing the issue.

“Roads are being blocked frequently, both with and without valid reasons. If the media highlights this properly, the public will resist such disruptions,” he said.

“People’s patience is wearing thin. Instead of obstructing roads, grievances should be addressed to higher authorities. If officials fail to act, protests can be held in school or college grounds. However, no actions should cause public suffering.”

Regarding law enforcement over the past six months under the interim government, he said it is up to the people to judge their success.

He mentioned that media professionals could evaluate the conditions when they took office and compare them to the current situation.

The adviser also said they were making every effort to meet public expectations.