Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday confirmed that the government’s special drive to recover illegal arms and improve law and order will continue nationwide until the national election.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Law and Order Core Committee at the Secretariat, the adviser said, “Although we haven’t been able to recover all the arms that have gone missing, efforts are ongoing. This special drive is being carried out across the country and will continue until the election.”

He asserted that mob violence will be reduced to zero and warned of zero tolerance in such cases. The upcoming election, he said, will be conducted smoothly under the supervision of existing law enforcement agencies.

The meeting reviewed key national security issues, including drug-related crimes, which the adviser described as a major concern. “While many Yaba smugglers have been arrested, the big players are still at large. We are working to bring them under the law,” he said.

When asked about security concerns around August 5, a date historically associated with political unrest, Alam Chowdhury said, “You are better judges of how things were after the Awami League had left office. Compare that with today. Whether there’s been any improvement is for you to assess.”

He acknowledged that Bangladesh’s law and order situation has not yet met international standards, but expressed hope that future governments would make progress.

Addressing fears of political unrest around August 5, he reassured the public: “There’s no reason to panic. All programmes will be held peacefully, InshaAllah. We just need your cooperation in covering these events responsibly.”

On the issue of election-related violence, the adviser said that the government is conducting training for security forces and expanding deployment to ensure peace during the polls.

Regarding allegations of unequal police protection, Alam Chowdhury explained that all political parties receive security based on risk assessments conducted by intelligence agencies and media monitoring.