Police officers of various ranks, who had been on strike over a range of demands, have officially called off their work stoppage.
Superintendent of Police Saiful Islam Santu, a member of the coordination committee addressing these demands, announced that the strike was withdrawn following assurances from the Interior Advisor and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that their concerns would be addressed.
“After receiving assurances that their demands will be met, the officers have ended their strike and have begun returning to duty as of today,” stated SP Santu.
The demands included ensuring workplace safety, preventing the political misuse of police officers, providing compensation to the families of officers killed or injured in recent violence, holding those responsible for attacks on the police accountable, establishing an independent police commission to safeguard against political influence, increasing benefits and allowances, and regulating working hours.
In recent public protests, several police establishments were attacked, resulting in the deaths of 42 police officers, according to reports from police headquarters.
Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on Monday, police officers were conspicuously absent from their duties nationwide. The next day, they announced a strike to press for their demands. While some police stations resumed operations, many officers remained off duty, leaving numerous stations without sufficient security patrols or traffic management.
As a result, students were still seen managing traffic in Dhaka on Sunday in the continued absence of police presence.
