Home Minister Orders Nationwide Police Alert Amid Energy Crisis and Announces Rewards for Recovering Illicit Weapons
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Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has directed the police to remain vigilant against any attempts to destabilize the country or incite law and order disruptions by exploiting ongoing power and gas shortages. The minister issued these instructions on Saturday while addressing a quarterly crime conference held at the Rajarbagh Police Lines auditorium in Dhaka.
During the conference, which brought together top-ranking police officials including range Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), metropolitan police commissioners, and district Superintendents of Police, the Home Minister also emphasized the need to maintain a strict stance against extremism. Addressing the internal challenges facing the force, Minister Ahmed pledged to resolve long-standing promotion backlogs by sidelining officials who have absconded or face criminal charges, replacing them with qualified personnel. He further assured that the current shortage of operational police vehicles would be addressed.
The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the law and order situation in Khulna, publicly questioning the Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner and local range officials regarding the frequency of homicides in the region. He demanded immediate improvements in regional stability and reviewed local security protocols during the session.
In a briefing following the conference, Minister Ahmed announced the formation of a specialized unit dedicated to recovering looted and illegal firearms. To encourage public cooperation, the government will offer rewards ranging from 10,000 taka to 200,000 taka for actionable information leading to the recovery of such weapons. The minister guaranteed the protection of all informants and confirmed that a nationwide crackdown on illegal firearms, drug trafficking, terrorism, and extortion is currently underway. He added that firearms for which licenses were previously cancelled and not surrendered are now classified as illegal and are primary targets for recovery.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fakir, who presided over the session alongside senior ministry officials, underscored the necessity of proactive intelligence gathering. He urged police personnel to remain alert against misinformation and rumors, emphasizing that the force must act to prevent incidents before they escalate.
The conference featured a comprehensive review of the national crime statistics for the second quarter of 2026, presented by Additional IGP of Crime and Operations Khandaker Rafiqul Islam. Key officials, including the heads of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), briefed field-level officers on specialized operational mandates. The event concluded with the presentation of the IG Badge to 26 police officers in recognition of their commendable performance during Police Week 2026.
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