Police Headquarters has issued a clarification regarding media reports on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Ali Hossain Fakir’s remarks about “crossfire,” saying the term was used to convey the firmness of law enforcement, not to suggest extrajudicial killings or punishment outside the judicial process.
The clarification was published on the verified Facebook page of Bangladesh Police on Monday night (October 26).
According to the statement, Bangladesh Police is the country’s principal law enforcement agency, with fundamental responsibilities that include preventing crime, arresting offenders, maintaining public order and ensuring the safety of people and their property. In carrying out these duties, police personnel sometimes face direct resistance or attacks from criminals, organised assailants and individuals who defy the law.
Police Headquarters said that during the first 10 months of 2026, police came under attack in 176 incidents while performing official duties, maintaining law and order, arresting criminals and preventing illegal activities. Four police personnel were killed and 370 others were seriously injured in these attacks, the statement added.
It also referred to the provisions on the right to self-defence under existing laws, particularly the Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, and the Police Act, 1861.
Explaining the IGP’s remarks, the statement said he had expressed the police force’s firm commitment to taking effective action against drug traders, terrorists, extortionists and criminals who pose threats to public safety. The term “crossfire” was used in its literal sense to convey a tough approach to law enforcement, it said, adding that the IGP had not used it to advocate extrajudicial killings or punishment outside the judicial process.
Police Headquarters also addressed concerns over the IGP’s comments about journalists at the same event. According to the statement, he had not intended to make a sweeping remark about journalists, and the comment was made inadvertently.
The statement reaffirmed Bangladesh Police’s commitment to protecting human rights, safeguarding lives and property, and upholding the rule of law with professionalism and impartiality.
