IGP advises Khaleda Zia to speak responsibly

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's comments over the role of police during her party-led agitation earlier this year were 'unfortunate', said Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque, reports bdnews24.com.
The police chief advised the former prime minister to be 'more responsible' while making statements.
"It's unfortunate when someone issues political statements in an effort to tarnish the image of police," he told a media briefing on Sunday.
Speaking at an Iftar hosted by pro-BNP lawyers' forum on Saturday, Khaleda said, "It was the police who hurled petrol bombs during our agitation. They had also set fire to buses."
The police chief brushed aside Khaleda's claim as 'nothing but lies.'
Over 150 people died --mostly from firebombing on buses -- in the three months from January this year, when the BNP-led alliance had enforced a countrywide blockade of rails, roads and waterways.
Khaleda has been accused of instigating the attacks in some of the cases over those incidents.
"It's clear as daylight, who had hurled petrol bombs and killed people in acts of arson," said Hoque.
Meanwhile: Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque Sunday said law-enforcement agencies have taken all-out preparations to make the highways fully free from extortion ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
The IGP came up with the assurance while talking to reporters after a follow-up meeting with law-enforcement agencies at the Police Headquarters.
The police boss said, "We had a meeting with stakeholders, including BGMEA and BKMEA, ahead of Ramadan where we decided to take necessary steps for controlling huge traffic during Eid, maintaining law and order and taking special security measures for avoiding unpleasant situation."
The IGP also said necessary steps have been taken to make the journeys of homebound people hassle-free ones by controlling traffic jams on highways ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Besides, the law-enforcement agencies have taken necessary steps for stopping black marketing of tickets, he said.
However, the DMP has taken a special moholla-based security for ensuring the security of flats and houses of the city dwellers as many of them will go to their village homes during the Eid vacation, said the IGP.