Gunmen assigned to 20 people: Home Adviser

Home Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday said armed security personnel have been assigned to 20 individuals, including the editors of The Daily Prothom Alo and The Daily Star  to ensure their personal safety and security.

He made the remarks while replying to a question after a meeting of the Committee of Advisory Council on law and order at the Bangladesh Secretariat here.

“The gunmen were provided to 20 individuals upon their applications,” the Home Adviser said, adding that the decision was taken based on a list prepared by a committee comprising representatives from the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), National Security Intelligence (NSI), and Special Branch (SB).

According to the Adviser, the committee verified the applications before finalizing the list. 

He confirmed that armed guards have been deployed for the editors of the two national dailies, and security at their residences has also been strengthened.

The Home Adviser further said that 17 people have been arrested in connection with Thursday’s attack on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

Reaffirming the government’s position, Chowdhury said the authorities remain fully committed to ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order across the country.