TIB report on law and order based on newspaper clippings, not investigation: Salahuddin

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today (8 June) dismissed the recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on the country's law and order situation, saying it was based on newspaper clippings rather than independent investigations and did not reflect official crime statistics.

"TIB prepares its reports based on newspaper clippings. It does not conduct investigations or verify every incident before making statements. TIB is not a government agency. For the actual picture, one should rely on crime statistics maintained by the police and the Ministry of Home Affairs," he said.

While talking to reporters at the Secretariat, the minister said TIB's assessment should not be considered the definitive picture of law and order in the country.

Responding to a question on whether the government considers the law and order situation satisfactory despite TIB's claim that more than 600 murders occurred during the BNP government's first 100 days, he said he had not reviewed the report and therefore could not comment on its specific figures.

"We prepare monthly crime statistics covering robbery, murder, rape and other offences. We compare them with the same period of previous years. Based on the reports, I have seen that the situation has improved significantly compared to 2025, with reductions across various categories," Salahuddin said.

He said official statistics indicated improvements in public safety, though he refrained from commenting on figures cited in the TIB report without reviewing them.

On public confidence in the police, the minister said the government has made progress in transforming the force into a more people-friendly institution.

"I believe we have been able to make the police more citizen-oriented. They need encouragement so that they can continue working in line with public expectations, the law and the principles of the rule of law," he said.

Reiterating the government's approach of "reward and punishment," Salahuddin said good performance will be recognised while misconduct will be dealt with through disciplinary measures.

"Our policy is to reward the good and punish the wrongdoers. We have already demonstrated our commitment to this principle, and our success will become more evident in the days ahead," he said.

Rejecting the methodology of the TIB report, the minister said the organisation does not conduct investigations before publishing its findings.

He added that the government relies on crime data collected routinely from districts across the country and treats those records as the most reliable source of information.

"Various reports appear in newspapers every day. We take those reports seriously and send them to the relevant departments for verification. But it cannot be said that every published report reflects the exact facts," he said.

On the issue of financial support for police investigations, the minister acknowledged that officers face resource constraints and said the government will work to increase allocations for investigation-related activities, including patrol operations and post-mortem examinations.

"We are aware of the financial limitations faced by the police. We will try to ensure adequate allocations for investigations, post-mortem reports and police patrol duties in the future," he said.

Asked about disciplinary action against police officers who have remained absconding for more than 60 days, Salahuddin said departmental proceedings were underway against them.

"Departmental cases have been filed against all those you are referring to. Some cases are ongoing, while others may be nearing completion. Appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of those proceedings," he said.