Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said that the government was preparing lists of extortionists and armed criminals across the country to bring them to book.

The minister made the remark while briefing journalists after visiting the Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters and holding a meeting with senior police officers and officers-in-charge of the metropolitan police’s 50 police stations.

He said that he had conveyed two decisions to police personnel to keep the law and order situation under control.

‘We will prepare a list of extortionists and take action to bring them to book very soon,’ he said.

An ‘unbiased’ list of armed and convicted criminals who are creating chaos in society is being prepared, the minister said, adding, ‘We will scrutinise the list and bring them under the law very soon. We have taken these two issues on a priority basis.’

He also said that the initiative would begin in Dhaka city.

‘We would like to assure the people that we will make every effort to ensure that law and order are maintained in the country, the rule of law is established, and the public remains at ease,’ he said.

Mentioning the improvement of the law and order situation and the establishment of the rule of law as the government’s top priorities, he said that the police had a key role to play in that regard.

Referring to the situation during the Awami League-led regime, Salahuddin said that the police as an institution had been harmed during the ‘fascist regime’ and that the present government wanted to establish the rule of law within the institution, abolish dictatorship, and regain public trust.

‘The police will operate in accordance with the law and no dictatorial orders from any individual will be followed,’ the minister said, adding that the police must work with responsibility and accountability.

Responding to a question regarding the city’s traffic congestion, Salahuddin said that a cell had been formed and the metropolitan police commissioner had been instructed to prepare a report within a week on easing congestion.

He pointed out that the number of battery-run rickshaws had increased ‘limitlessly’ and that the government had decided to restrict them from running on major roads in phases.