Staff Correspondent

A police constable, still struggling to overcome the trauma of witnessing brutality and hearing about the death of colleagues, shares his discomfort about not being able to move past the experience.

With over three decades of service, most of his career was spent in Dhaka at the ‘baseline’ level, as the constable is commonly known. But everything changed on Aug 5.

On that day, and the following days, his life was at risk. Although he narrowly escaped and returned to duty, he has decided not to continue in the police force much longer.
Still gripped by fear, the constable prefers to remain anonymous. Many others in the police force are also experiencing similar mental stress.

Experts have emphasised the importance of boosting the confidence of police officers on the ground to overcome this situation. They suggest that instead of mass transfers and legal actions, gradually reintegrating qualified officers into fieldwork through appropriate authorities could restore confidence.

The constable said, “Even though my rank is low, I have always served with respect and honor. But now, that sense of honor is gone. After the incident on the 5th of August, I lost my motivation completely. I might quit the job and resign once things normalise.”
Like him, many officers have been mentally shattered, compounded by the fear of transfers and lawsuits. This is affecting their service on the ground. When they are called for urgent duties, officers are quickly completing tasks and returning to the station.

Police officers say they, too, are feeling insecure. As a result, local patrol activities and arrest operations have nearly come to a halt.

Although it has been over a month since the interim government, dedicated to building a ‘new Bangladesh,’ was formed, police activities remain limited to staying in the stations and handling general diary entries, cases, and complaints. The lack of a visible police presence outside has left the public with a sense of unease.
Fayezul Arefin, a private sector employee and resident of Mohammadpur’s Chan Mia Housing area in Dhaka, said: “I have to move around late at night for various reasons. There has always been this fear of theft and robbery at night in Dhaka. Now, with no police on the streets, that fear has increased.”

The constable, who decided to leave his job, said: “Police provide public security, but now there’s no security for police. How can we do our jobs in this situation? I saw death before my own my eyes on the 5th of August and Allah saved me. I was only thinking then, if I die, even my body wouldn’t make it home.

“For several days after the incident, all I did was cry. I could not even speak properly. I heve been transferred now and I will be relieved once I can leave Dhaka.”

He added, “Police are still functioning, but not like before. Patrol teams used to be in the area, but now they only respond to calls, solve the issue, and leave. There is no order to stay in the area in case something goes wrong. Now, firearms have fallen into the public’s hands. We don’t roam around like before.”

Muhammad Omar Faruque, chairman of the Department of Crime and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University is emphasising the need to increase public engagement in order to restore the confidence of police officers.

He said, "Police officers are mentally distressed. They, along with their family members, are hesitant to reveal their identities. To overcome this, their confidence must be developed first, and increasing their public interaction is the key to achieving that."

A visit to Adabor Police Station in Dhaka on Tuesday revealed that that efforts are under way to renovate the station, which had been devastated by looting, vandalism, and fire. The walls are being repainted, and windows and pieces of furniture are being repaired. In the duty officer’s room, a table and a few chairs were being used to serve the citizens who come to the station.

As of Tuesday, the lockup at Adabor Police Station was empty. It was learned that no arrests had been made at this station since the incident on Aug 5.

Duty Officer Sub-Inspector Md Nasir Uddin said, “All activities at the station—cases, general diaries, and complaints—are proceeding as usual.”

A resident of the area who came to file a general diary at the station said, "The electricity meter of my house has been stolen, so I came to file a GD (General Diary). Police are doing some basic work, but their presence is not like before, which has led to an increase in theft and robbery incidents."

Regarding external operations, Adabor Police Station's Assistant Sub Inspector Wahiduzzaman said: “Work has started on a limited scale, but it’s not peaked yet. Gradually, everything will return to normal.”

Even a month after the looting and arson incident, Bhatara Police Station has not been able to resume operations.

On Tuesday, bdnews24.com upon a visit found that repairs were being done to the station. Several people were fixing the holding cells and other rooms. Burnt vehicles and furniture were still piled up at the station.

Though no activities were happening inside, several constables, led by ASI Md Mamun, were on duty in front of the building.

Mamun said, “Since this building is still not fit for work, a sub-office has been set up at Gulshan Police Station to carry out Bhatara Police Station’s operations. For now, anyone in this area who needs police services has to go there.”

After the Awami League government was topped in massive protests, reports of attacks, vandalism, and arson at most police stations throughout the country began to emerge. According to the Police Headquarters, at least 44 police officers were killed in the violence.

In these attacks, documents, furniture, and all vehicles at the stations were burned. Many arms and ammunition were looted. Since then, the police system across the country has been virtually paralysed. To save their lives, police officers had gone into hiding and submitted 11 demands for them to return to work.

Before stepping down as home affairs advisor, M Sakhawat Hossain had met police officers on Aug 11 and assured them that their demands would be met. Following that assurance, most officers returned to their stations the next day. On Aug 15, a message from the Police Headquarters announced that “operational activities” had resumed at all police stations in Bangladesh.

Regarding the looting and burning of case files at police stations, the DMP’s Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Md Israil Howladar said, “Attacks on police stations have destroyed many assets, as well as evidence and documents. We are working on this, and everything necessary from a legal standpoint will be done.

“Many pieces of evidence from cases were burned at the stations. We are currently evaluating how to proceed legally in such cases.”

LIVING IN FEAR OF TRANSFERS

Although the constable mentioned earlier is relieved about his transfer, many police officers are living in fear of unexpected transfers. They say sudden transfer decisions disrupt their lives, as most officers have settled with their families, and such abrupt changes create anxiety.

A sub-inspector from the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, or DMP, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: “Many of us are still traumatized. On top of that, we now have the constant worry about being transferred. It always feels like we might not be able to stay where we are.”

He continued, “Everything feels out of place. There are CCTV camera footages and videos from the media showing who was involved in the incidents. The authorities should take action against those who were overly enthusiastic. But why this mass transfer?”

The SI added, “What could junior officers have done in that situation? Whatever orders are given by the higher-ups, juniors are bound to follow. Decisions are not made by us. If the leadership is strong, the whole team stays in line.”

Another officer from the Detective Branch said, “Yes, changes are necessary in the police force, but instead of changing entire units in a single day, why not plan it over 6-7 months or a year? Suddenly, all officers from Dhaka are being sent to Khagrachhari, and Khagrachhari officers are being brought to Dhaka. What will they do when they suddenly have to work in a new place?”

He pointed out, “There’s a lack of foresight among senior officers. One team leaves, and another comes in. The result is that the process stays the same, only the people change. You could have made these changes gradually, division-wise.”

He said, “It’s rumoured that there will be another DO (directive) soon. Everyone is waiting to see where they will be posted. They are mentally conflicted. There’s also fear and the stigma of public disdain. What’s important is to boost the morale of the police officers. You cannot just impose punishments and expect things to get better.”

The officer also noted that the gap between senior officers and lower-ranking members is widening. “Police stations are being restructured to provide services, but the situation needs to be managed properly,” he added, “we need to ensure a conducive work environment for everyone to perform their duties effectively.”

FEAR OF CASES HINDERS POLICE FROM TAKING FIRM ACTIONS

A sub-inspector, wishing to remain anonymous, expressed his concerns, saying, “Not everyone was overzealous, nor did everyone use force. Many who did were forced to do so. Those who acted out of line should be punished according to their offences. But now, broad legal cases are being filed, causing fear among everyone. Entire police stations are being implicated in these cases, even though not all officers were involved."

He added, “Everyone is feeling insecure. We don’t feel safe ourselves. When we go out or take action, we can’t act like we used to. If we try to enforce the law, someone might accuse us of being supporters of the Awami League or claim that we are not following legal procedures.”

“If we take strong action somewhere, there’s a risk of creating a bad situation.” The officer continued, “even if we act legally, we might still be called ‘agents’ or ‘political tools’. Those involved in the situation might manipulate it to create a scene.”

Another police officer added, “Opposing political groups might use these cases to settle old scores, possibly dragging people’s names into cases for conflicts that happened three or four years ago. If I go to arrest a drug dealer, there is always the risk of a case being filed against
"The only solution is to establish an independent commission for police. A separate framework involving professionals from various fields could be created. This way, no matter which government comes to power, it won't be able to use police for its own interests. If this is not possible, there will always be the risk of political or factional influence over police."

He said this approach will help to depoliticise the police force, ensuring that they serve the citizens impartially and effectively, free from any political pressures or biases.