Bangladesh Police Headquarters has issued a clarification regarding remarks by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir about “crossfire,” saying he used the term figuratively to emphasise strict law enforcement and did not intend to endorse extrajudicial killings or punishment outside the judicial process.
The clarification was issued in a press release on Monday, October 26, following media reports and headlines about the IGP’s comments at the inauguration of the Chawkbazar Islamic Banking Branch of Community Bank in the capital earlier that day.
The press release said Police Headquarters had taken note of the reports and issued the statement to clarify the remarks and address public confusion.
Bangladesh Police is the state’s principal law enforcement agency, with fundamental responsibilities that include preventing crime, arresting offenders, maintaining public order and safeguarding people’s lives and property, the statement said.
It added that police personnel sometimes face direct resistance and attacks from criminals, organised attackers and individuals who defy the law while officers carry out their duties.
According to the press release, police came under attack in 176 incidents during the first 10 months of 2026 while maintaining law and order, arresting offenders, preventing illegal activities and performing official duties. Four police personnel were killed and 370 seriously injured in those attacks.
The statement cited existing laws, including provisions on the right to self-defence under the Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, and the Police Act, 1861, as recognising police officers’ right to protect themselves.
Explaining the IGP’s remarks, Police Headquarters said he had expressed the police force’s firm commitment to taking effective action against drug traffickers, terrorists, extortionists and criminals who pose threats to public safety.
It said he used the word “crossfire” in its literal sense while seeking to convey the need for strict law enforcement. According to the clarification, he did not use the term to refer to extrajudicial killings or the imposition of punishment outside the judicial process.
The press release also addressed confusion surrounding the IGP’s comments about journalists at the same event. It said he had not intended to make a sweeping remark about journalists and that the comment had been made inadvertently.
Bangladesh Police reaffirmed its commitment to protecting people’s lives and property, upholding human rights and establishing the rule of law while carrying out its duties professionally and impartially, the statement added.
