Extended Tenure of the Armed Forces’ Magistracy Powers

ফাইল ছবি

News Desk: The tenure of executive magistrate powers for Captains and higher-ranked commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces has been extended by an additional two months (60 days). The Ministry of Public Administration issued the official notification on Thursday, 11 September.

The order states that commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, including those posted in the Coast Guard and Border Guard Bangladesh at equivalent ranks, have been granted Special Executive Magistrate powers under Sections 12(1) and 17 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

The extended tenure will be effective from 12 September for a period of 60 days. The notification also mentions that these officers will be authorized to exercise this power nationwide.

According to the notification, officers granted executive magistrate authority will be able to deal with offenses under Sections 64, 65, 83, 84, 86, 95(2), 100, 105, 107, 109, 110, 126, 127, 128, 130, 133, and 142 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898.

Initially, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on 17 September last year granting executive magistrate powers to commissioned officers of the Army. The notification was later amended on 30 September to include all commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) at the rank of Captain and above. The powers were initially granted for a period of 60 days, which expired in mid-November, and the tenure has since been extended multiple times.

The move follows major unrest during the quota reform movement in 2024. On 19 July 2024, the government imposed a curfew and deployed the military after widespread clashes erupted between students, the public, and the police across the country, including the capital. Numerous police personnel and civilians were injured, police stations were set on fire, and weapons looted. Following 5 August 2024, police across the country went on strike, leading to a serious deterioration of law and order. It was in this context that members of the armed forces were granted executive magistrate powers.