Published : 03 Nov 2026, 02:46 PM
Updated : 03 Nov 2026, 02:48 PM
Police have the legal right to kill under certain circumstances, says Information Advisor Zahed Ur Rahman.
He made the remark while answering a question about the garment workers' protests at a briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
He said, "The police have the legal right to use force. Under certain circumstances, police have the right to kill people. It is within their legal rights, as I have said repeatedly, if it follows the legal process and the use of force is proportional."
Stating that the government does not want a repeat of earlier suppressions, he said: "Because, at the end of the day, whether they are part of teenage gangs or anything else, they are citizens of this country.
“Intelligence has their information and the home minister has explained how things are happening. We want to act in such a way that there is little harm to the people and the problems are very small."
Though the information advisor asked that no questions be asked regarding the potential return of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to the country in December, they were still raised by reporters.
Rumours abound on social media regarding her return, alleging that she and the Awami League are behind the current labour unrest.
In response to these questions, Zahed said: "Let December come… I hope that if I am alive and if I am still in this position, I will come and apologise and say that my interpretation was wrong."
Noting that there may be attempts to stir unrest at any time, not just in December, he said: "Hasina said something in parliament in 1991 that she would not let this government live in peace for a single day. At that time, the democratically elected government in which she participated received some seats.
“Her words were the mentality of that time. Sheikh Hasina was less of a monster in 1991 than she is now. She said this then. Now, will she let us live in peace? She had to flee with thousands of people. If not now, she will try this as long as she is alive. And we will resist it."
The government has claimed that the recent unrest is not the result of worker protests, but outside agitators. Asked why it was failing to bring certain youth who had been seen on the streets under control, the advisor said: "How will the government handle any disorder or unrest? how will it deal with it? Have you noticed that a new situation has arisen?
“I said the other day that I do not expect the Bangladesh police to ever be like Sheikh Hasina's police. I am saying this as a citizen. Even then, I have seen incidents of force being used on social media."
The information advisor said he hoped the garment workers' movement would end very soon.
However, he said: "Initially, some genuine workers took to the streets because they had legitimate demands. Since a commission has been formed, we will be able to convince them. And if they do not take to the streets, it will not be easy for anyone else to come and continue such actions.
“Our garment workers have taken to the streets, but someone else has infiltrated them and is carrying out this violence."
