Air Force, Navy officers get magistracy power along with Bangladesh Army

By Bdv Desk

The public administration ministry issued a new circular on September 29, to this end, amending the previous circular that granted the magistracy power only to the Bangladesh Army on September 17.
The government has now also empowered commissioned officers of the Air Force and Navy with executive magistrate authority to help maintain law and order.
This power was granted through a revised notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration. Earlier on September 17, the government empowered only commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Army with executive magistrate authority.
With this extension, commissioned officers from the Army, Air Force, and Navy can now function as executive magistrates.
The previous notification stated that executive magistrate powers were initially granted to commissioned officers of the Bangladesh Army for a period of 60 days from the issuance date.
However, the commissioned officers of the armed forces – acting as executive magistrates – will operate under the supervision of district magistrates across the country.
They will handle cases related to sections 64, 65, 83, 84, 86, 95(2), 100, 105, 107, 109, 110, 126, 127, 128, 130, 133, and 142 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898. The new notification retains these provisions unchanged.
Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, executive magistrates have the authority to issue arrest orders and perform various judicial functions, including imposing fines and sentences.
Following the unrest surrounding the quota reform movement, the previous Awami League government deployed the army and declared a curfew nationwide on the night of July 19.
This action was followed by a mass uprising of students and the public, leading to the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.
An interim government was formed under Professor Muhammad Yunus just three days later, on August 8. Since September 4, a joint forces operation has been ongoing throughout the country.
To restore law and order, officials have said that executive magistrate powers have now been granted to commissioned officers from other branches of the armed forces, in addition to the Army.