Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday informed Parliament that 464 murder cases and 666 rape cases have been filed across the country since the current government assumed office.
Responding to a written question from NCP MP Abul Hasnat (Hasnat Abdullah), elected from Cumilla-4, the minister said 604 individuals have been arrested in connection with murder cases, while 530 have been arrested in rape cases.
He further stated that 11 accused in murder cases and 71 in rape cases have been released on bail.
The home minister said investigations into these cases are being conducted “very intensively” to ensure strict punishment for those involved in serious crimes such as murder and rape.
In response to another query from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Md Mujibur Rahman, the minister described land grabbing, extortion, and illegal activities as “heinous crimes” that severely harm society and the state.
He stressed that a stable law and order situation and a crime-free social system are essential for national development.
He also remarked that during the previous Awami League government’s long tenure of over 15 years, people had become frustrated due to activities such as land and water body grabbing, extortion, tender manipulation, and other unlawful practices.
Salahuddin Ahmed added that the current government is maintaining a “zero tolerance” policy against such crimes. He said individuals involved in land grabbing, extortion, and illegal activities are being arrested and brought under legal action, resulting in a significant reduction in such offences.
In response to a question from ruling party MP Md Jahander Ali Miha of Madaripur-2, the minister said there are currently 2,18,000 vacant posts in the Bangladesh Police.
Of these, 2,07,745 are police posts, 8,047 are non-police posts, and 2,762 are non-police outsourcing positions.
He further said that the process of creating 14,500 new posts is underway, including 500 Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) posts, 4,000 Sub-Inspector (unarmed) posts, and 10,000 constable positions.
The minister added that recruitment against 2,703 constable vacancies has already begun after the current government took office, and plans are in place to directly recruit 2,000 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs).
In response to another question from Jamaat-e-Islami MP Shahjahan Chowdhury of Chittagong-15, the Home Minister said the investigation report of the Disappearance Commission is preserved with the National Human Rights Commission.
He also noted that legal assistance and other necessary support are being provided to the families of victims.
