Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Sunday said no mass arrest has been made over violence in Gopalganj and that only criminals are being detained."No mass arrest has been made. Only those who committed crimes are being arrested," the adviser said while replying to a question from journalists over the Gopalganj situation, after coming out of a core committee meeting on law and order at the Home Ministry.Asked whether the previous practice of mass arrest is being exercised, he said: "The same thing is not happening now. I do not agree with your opinion. Perpetrators must be arrested."

The home adviser asked the law enforcers to make sure that the miscreants are not spared and the innocents are not held.

"Make sure no perpetrators are spared in any way," he said.

Asked about the arrest of nine children over the Gopalganj incident, he said no such information is available to him.

Replying to a question, the home adviser said the curfew in Gopalganj has already been relaxed, while Section 144 will be relaxed in phases.

Citing several reports of different television channels, he said the situation in Gopalganj is now normal.

Asked about the capabilities of law enforcement agencies to hold a free, fair and peaceful election, he said: "We have enough time to take preparations and we are now taking preparations. We are imparting training for this. There will be no problem."

The home adviser said the beauty of democracy is to speak freely, adding: "Express your idea. Tell the truth. Do not attack anyone. Use a decent word. This is democracy."