No plan of Operation Clean Heart: Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has informed that the government does not have any plan of conducting Operation Clean Heart. At the same time he has said that there is no challenge in front of the government.

The Home Minister said these words in reply to the questions of the journalists after the inauguration of the Cyber Police Centre of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police at Dampara Police Lines of Chattogram city in the afternoon on Wednesday.

In reply to the question whether there is any challenge in front of the government regarding the rumour of possible sabotage centring December, the ongoing movement of the opposition parties and the upcoming local government election Salahuddin Ahmed said, ‘We do not have any plan of doing Operation Clean Heart. We have the responsibility on all matters. However there is no challenge in front of us.’

When asked about the panic among the police in Khulna and the non-arrest of the accused under the pressure of the influential persons in Chattogram the Home Minister said the police become the victims of attack sometimes while going to suppress the crime. This is not any new matter. The government is making all-out efforts to suppress the criminals. If anyone assists when the police go to arrest the accused appropriate legal steps will also be taken against him on the basis of the information.

The Home Minister said at the programme that the work of the cyber police office and the digital forensic lab has been completed with the financial and technical assistance of the government of the Republic of Korea and the international cooperation organisation KOICA. He thanked the Korean government, the ambassador of that country, the representatives of KOICA and the visiting delegation for this cooperation.

He said the plan of establishing a specialised police cyber unit was there from the beginning of the government. The activities of this unit have formally started under the leadership of an additional IGP on October 1 last.

The Home Minister informed that the new digital forensic laboratory will be operated under the leadership of the CID. However coordination will be maintained among the various departments of the police in the case of analysing and examining the digital evidence.

The Home Minister said the nature of the crime is changing with time. Various crimes and frauds are being committed by using the cyber space, even manipulations are being done in the share market. There is no alternative to the digital forensic lab in preventing and suppressing these crimes.

He further said scientific analysis and evidence are needed to ensure the quick receipt of justice of the people in the judicial process. The police are being made capable with modern laboratories, technological equipment and the necessary materials to combat the changed nature of the crime.

The special guests at the programme were Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh Kim Ji-joon, Member of Parliament of Chattogram-10 constituency Saeed Al Noman and Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir. Besides Additional Inspector General of Police Sarder Nurul Amin and Director of the Bangladesh office of KOICA Ji-hoon Kim were present.

Additional Inspector General of the CID Mohammad Mosharaf Hossain presided over the programme. Among others DIG of Chattogram Range Abdul Quddus Chowdhury, City Police Commissioner Hasan Md Shawkat Ali, DIG (Prison) of Chattogram Range Chhagir Mia and Superintendent of Police of Chattogram district Masud Alam were present.