Bangladesh extends army judicial powers as operation against crimes continues

The order was issued Friday, it said, adding that army commissioned officers, the air force and navy forces have been given power to carry out measures.

Officers in the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Border Guard Bangladesh, forces on duty in water and land borders, will also come under the order.

The army arrested 2,500 suspects for possessing illegal weapons and drugs, and it recovered more than 6,000 weapons after the government initially gave the authority Sept. 17.

The Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus-led transitional government took office Aug. 8 after a student- and civilian-led uprising toppled the now-former government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Aug. 5.

Marking 100 days of his government, Yunus said Saturday in Dhaka that nearly 1,500 people were killed by the old regime and nearly 20,000 wounded in protests during the summer.