It’s hard to tell that the burned building is a police station. The walls have turned black from the fire, and inside, the rooms are nothing but rubble. In front of the station, there is a pile of police uniforms, a few pairs of boots, some bulletproof vests, and other equipment. Everything is half-burned and no longer usable.
This scene was observed at the Mirpur Model Police Station in Dhaka around 9:30 AM on Thursday. Eight Ansar members are on duty at the station. The extent of the public’s anger and outrage against the police is vividly illustrated by the condition of the Mirpur police station. Kamal Hossain, who was watching the situation from the front of the station on his way to work, said, “I never imagined the police would end up like this.”
Not only the Mirpur police station but also police stations across Bangladesh have been empty since Monday afternoon. It is unprecedented in Bangladesh’s history for police members to abandon all stations simultaneously. Current and former police officials note that such occurrences are rare even globally.
They say such events are often seen in wartime situations. It raises a significant question as to why such a situation has developed for the police.
‘They shoot whenever they want’
A visit to the Vatara police station in Dhaka revealed a similar condition to the Mirpur station. After the arson, the area is now nothing but rubble. A few Ansar members are on duty at the station. Upon entering, a group of students was found who informed that they had come to clean up the rubble outside the station.
When talking about the police, they expressed widespread anger. How will this anger and outrage be overcome and return to normalcy?
“This will be resolved through harmonious and gentle engagement with the public,” said Abdur Razzaq, a student at a private university. “I used to be afraid to talk to the police. They used to behave poorly. Besides, the police have brutally attacked students and the public. They shot whenever they wanted,” said Shahjalal Patowari, a student at Dhaka’s New Model College.
Senior police officials are also aware of this anger against the police. An anonymous senior police officer said that “extreme distrust” against the police has been present since 2012, when the police started using excessive force.
He said that police members have been instructed to return to duty. The faster they resume work and improve law and order, the quicker trust in the police will be restored. He admitted that behavioral issues within the police have also contributed to the widespread anger among people. All these issues have manifested simultaneously.
There is no doubt that the current situation is quite complex for the police. There has been a significant amount of weaponry looted from various stations. Many police uniforms are missing, and numerous stations are in no condition to be used.
On Thursday, at several police stations in Dhaka, city corporation workers were seen clearing the debris. At the front of the Pallabi police station in Dhaka, a local group of people had gathered at the gate . Among them was Sajjad Hossain, a councilor from Ward 2 of Dhaka North City Corporation.
He said that police members are unable to come to the station. Therefore, local people’s assistance is being sought. “We need police to maintain law and order. They have contacted us,” said Sajjad Hossain. ‘Police presence must be visible’ Police members are going in plain clothes to various stations to assess the damage. Sub-Inspector Abdul Latif was speaking to them.
He said they are assessing the damage at all the stations in the Mirpur area. He mentioned that there is no remaining police vehicle at the stations. Everything has been burned.
Analysts say that despite the adverse conditions, police members must go out into the field. At least they need to start. Former police chief Nurul Huda said, “Police presence must be made visible. They can go to various facilities and ensure their security. They should also contribute to improving law and order. Then the public will trust the police.”
To address the widespread public dissatisfaction with the police, a reform of the police is essential. Nurul Huda believes that such reform cannot be achieved quickly. He also believes that political leadership bears responsibility for the current situation, as the police have been politically used for many years.
Meanwhile, sources within the police indicate that a significant change within the police force is inevitable. A senior police officer said that a review of all the police station chiefs and district police superintendents is being conducted.
Changes will be made first in areas where the police used excessive force during the protests. Other changes will be implemented gradually, the officer said.
He believes that if police officers who ordered excessive force and were involved in severe human rights violations are not punished, it will be difficult to restore public trust in the police.
However, the officer noted that it is not possible to carry out all these tasks simultaneously. Demands of police members
The Police Association, consisting of police station chiefs and sub-inspectors, says that certain actions must be taken to restore public trust in the police. They also raised several demands at a meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Police Sub-Inspector Md. Zahidul Islam said that the current state of the police is due to political use and arbitrary orders from senior officers. He said, “We want leadership that will command us with the welfare of the people in mind, that will make us work for the benefit of the public. They should not put us in front of the public while serving the interests of any political party.”
He also said, “The kind of police officers the students and public want are present in our department. But they cannot come to the forefront. They should be identified and given responsibilities to manage the Bangladesh Police.”
The demands raised at the Police Association meeting include:
- Police must be free from political influence.
- The safety of all police members and their families must be ensured. Senior officers who, due to their power-hungry and corrupt behavior, have led to the death of police members and public students must be arrested and tried under Bangladesh’s prevailing laws.
- Their illegal assets must be confiscated and used for the welfare of the Bangladesh Police.
- Compensation must be provided to police members who were killed or injured in violence.
- Police members who used firearms for the protection of life and property should not face any disciplinary action.
- Police members should have an eight-hour workday according to Bangladesh’s labor laws, with provisions for overtime pay for additional hours worked.
- The color of police uniforms should be changed so that the dress code is uniform from constable to IG.
When Zahidul Islam raised these demands, police members applauded in support.
Source: BBC
