Security personnel are stationed at the Bangabhaban, the residence and workplace of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, following protests calling for his resignation in Dhaka on October 23, 2024. — Reuters file
Bangladesh's interim government has expanded the judicial powers of the armed forces, a move that follows the August revolution which ousted former leader Sheikh Hasina. The government directive, issued on November 15, extends the armed forces' powers for an additional two months, allowing them to undertake daily enforcement activities similar to those of the police, including making arrests.
"The armed forces will execute the orders given by the government," stated army spokesman Sami-Ud-Daula Chowdhury on Sunday. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 77, had previously ordered the police to suppress student-led protests, resulting in a deadly crackdown that claimed at least 700 lives, before she escaped by helicopter to India on August 5. Her 15-year tenure was marked by numerous instances of obstructing the opposition's democratic rights.
Since then, a caretaker government, headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has been entrusted with implementing democratic reforms and organizing elections. The army was deployed to restore security, as many citizens had lost faith in the police. Only officers holding the rank of captain or higher are authorized to make arrests, according to high court lawyer Imam Hasan Tareq, who spoke on Sunday. The extended powers now encompass the coastguard and border security units.
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