Staff Correspondent

Home Adviser of the interim government Lieutenant General (retd) M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said the government would transform Ansar-VDP into a skilled, well-organised, befitting and professional force through requisite reformation.

"The government will reform the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (Ansar-VDP) with a target to make it a skilled, well-organized, professional and befitting force ... The ministry will do whatever is needed for the reformation," he said.

The adviser told the concluding parade of the basic training programme of 40th BCS (Ansar) cadre officials and 25th batch sipahi recruit (male) of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP at Bangladesh Aasar VDP academy at Shafipur in Gazipur this morning.

The home adviser said the paramilitary auxiliary force has performed a significant role in the overall development of the country, including maintaining law and order.

After ousting of the autocratic regime led by Sheikh Hasina through the student-people uprising, the Ansar and VDP personnel have been working sincerely to protect important establishments, including police stations and airports, risking their lives, he said.

"Particularly, the Ansar-VDP personnel have ensured the security for the police stations under Dhaka Metropolitan Police," he said, adding that even the force is also engaged in protecting Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

After the assumption of office by the incumbent government, the members of the Ansar-DVP ensured security of the State Guest House "Jamuna" despite the inadequacy of the police forces, he continued.

The adviser greeted all the members of the force as they had done their duties with the utmost sincerity during the critical period of the nation. The members of the force deployed in every village across the country have played an important role in maintaining the law and order situation of the country, he said, adding, "The Ansar-VDP kept surveillance at all the places of worship for upholding religious harmony."

Senior secretary of the public security division of the ministry Dr Mohammad Abdul Momen and director general of Bangladesh Ansar-VDP Major General Abdul Motaleb Sajjad Mahmud also spoke at the function as special guests.

The home adviser took salute at the concluding parade function and distributed prizes among the feat trainees.