After the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5 following a student-mass movement, the police force, which had become an instrument of political repression, crumbled under the weight of public anger. There are 639 police stations in the country. Among these, 110 police stations in the metropolitan cities while 529 in districts. All the police stations had remained closed for the first time in the country’s history.
The police stations were becoming functional since August 8, the day the interim government led by Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus took oath, with the assistance of the armed forces and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Although all the police stations have already become functional, the cops are not as yet active as before. A vibrant atmosphere has not yet returned to the police force. However, it is true that many police stations have fallen into crisis for looting of arms and ammunition and damage to the police station concerned.
In such a situation, members of Bangladesh Police are still not fully attentive to arrest law violators, accused in criminal cases and other activities related to the force. Police did not start patrolling in many parts of the country. If this situation continues for more days, it will be difficult to control the crime and maintain the law and order across the country. Many people are already facing sufferings for the inactive role of police. Although there has been some progress in the last couple of days, the law and order situation in the country still remains volatile.
Last week, a businessman filed a general diary (GD) with a police station in Dhaka as his mobile phone set was stolen. Although police received the GD, no action was taken in this regard till now. Police are not working to trace or recover the device. The cops in the police stations across the country are passing time with only some routine work. In such a situation, there is a sense of insecurity among people in the capital and elsewhere in the country. From Dhaka to remote areas, people are increasingly feeling the need for police to manage law and order.
The country’s police force, which was weaponized by the autocratic Awami League government, must now continue to work hard to regain the public trust. There is no alternative to keeping the police force active in preventing murder, rape, theft, robbery, snatching and other crimes. Police should be active also for keeping the traffic on the roads. The government should take necessary measures to activate the police force without any delay. Let the police force be vibrant now.
