RAB DG: Have patience, you will know everything about Samrat

Director General (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Benazir Ahmed has asked everyone to be patient about the situation surrounding Dhaka South city unit Jubo League President Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat. 

"Eventually, we will find the answer to everything," he said while talking to reporters during his visit to Banani puja mandap on Friday.

He refused to reply to any specific questions related to Samrat.

Samrat went into hiding after being suspected of running illegal casinos. He has been banned from leaving the country, according to the police.

When asked if there is a list of those who are yet to be detained in the ongoing operation for their involvement in the illegal casino business, Benazir said: "This is a huge issue. Not only RAB forces, many other law enforcement agencies are also involved in weeding out those found to be involved in corruption, or the illegal casino business."

Since the prime minister announced a zero-tolerance policy against corruption in this year's election manifesto, all law enforcement agencies came to lead the anti-corruption drive. 

"RAB is not the lead agency in this operation," the RAB DG said. "We are working in cooperation with other agencies, under the direction of the prime minister." 

However, he vowed to work hand-in-hand with other organizations, whenever needed, in the ongoing campaign against corruption.

Replying to a query regarding former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia's comments that "it is not the sole responsibility of the police to deter the spread of casino," Benazir said: "I do not know if he made any such comments."

He added: "However, as an experienced police officer, he is not supposed to make such comments."

The DG said RAB has only seven mandates, and it does not usually go beyond them.

"Our latest mandate was to follow the government's direction," he said. "So, unless the government directs us, we do not go beyond our mandates."

Security beefed up in puja mandaps

RAB has undertaken all kinds of measures so that everyone can observe the festivities in 31,000  puja mandaps across the country peacefully.

"To avoid any unpleasant activities in the puja mandaps, we have deployed our bomb disposal unit and dog squads to swipe the grounds," the RAB DG said. 

RAB will be present to prevent any sort of militant activities. "A check-post will be set up at all intersections in front of puja mandaps, and raids will be conducted if we are alerted of any suspicious activities."

Necessary arrangements have been taken, in coordination with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to ensure puja celebrations are held unhampered, Benazir added.