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Police officers are mentally distressed; the first step must be to boost their confidence, says an expert in crime and police science
Published : 15 Sep 2024, 02:52 AM
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 me."
NO ONE KNOWS WHEN WILL THINGS RETURN TO NORMAL
Police officers believe that returning to normalcy will take time. The way people perceive police has severely damaged their morale. Those who were victims of the attacks and lawsuits are still going through trauma.
One officer shared, “To restore morale, it is important to provide motivation now. But no one is offering that reassurance. There’s no clear message about how to move forward or whether we should continue our work as usual. How will we rise from this state?”
He continued, “From the inspector to the constable, no one has tried to understand our needs or hear our concerns. The SI is called the backbone and the constable the foundation, but they just keep piling work on us. We never get a chance to express what we face in the field.”
The fear of organised attacks by the public still lingers in the minds of police officers. One member of the force remarked, “Everyone’s morale is shattered. Facing public hatred, no one is able to do their job. When we go out, we are cursed at and disrespected, so it’s hard to deploy forces.
“Yet, there’s so much work for police now. What would normally take a year, we now have to do in a week—restoring our lost image, reducing crime, increasing patrols. To bring everything back to how it was, we need stability. We can’t afford to be shaky.”
"Although things appear normal during the day in police stations outside Dhaka, there is a sense of fear that creeps in after evening. There’s the fear of public resentment and the fear of political bias. We are also afraid that senior officers, being influenced by certain political parties, might end up putting us in danger.
He emphasised the need to detach from political influences and ensure that police officers focus purely on their duties, maintaining law and order without interference or bias.
“Right now, one political party is not in control of the stations, but another party is gaining ground and taking control. They are playing a significant role, holding meetings at the police stations. From now on, the decision must be that police should not engage in any unlawful activities. The senior officers must say that it doesn’t matter who is posted where—crime must be controlled 100 percent.”
The police officer firmly stated his position on restoring discipline, saying that no one should visit the station—whether it’s from Party A, Party B, or students. Only victims of crime should go to the police station. If the victims are harassed, the higher authorities will take action.
“Those who are coming to the police station now will become informants after two days. Bringing the people who burned down the stations back to the station is of no use.”
POLICE STILL UNDER ATTACK
Even a month after the shift in political power, police stations across Bangladesh continue to face attacks. Last Monday, students attacked the Chandpur Sadar Police Station, injuring a sub-inspector.
According to the incident report, a group of 8 to 10 individuals, including local BNP member Noyon Bepari, 45, harassed a woman named Masuma Begum, 42, while she was traveling by rickshaw in the Koralia Patowari School grounds in ward No. 8 of Chandpur city on the evening of Sept 8.
Masuma informed her son, Tahsin Hossain, the coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, about the incident. Tahsin admitted his mother to Chandpur Sadar Hospital and later, around 11:30pm, went to the police station with 20-30 students to file a complaint on behalf of the victim.
The following day, at about 11:30am, SI Samad went to the location with a force to investigate the complaint. However, the accused assaulted the students in front of police. The students later entered the police station and accused police of not preventing the attack. They then assaulted SI Samad.
Later, during an extended discussion in the office of the station chief, or OC, the students demanded that the accused be arrested immediately. The OC, along with a team of students, attempted to arrest the suspect at the scene, but he had fled, making the arrest impossible.
Chandpur Sadar Police Station chief Alamgir Hossain said, "The students have filed a case regarding the incident. Efforts to arrest the suspect are ongoing. SI Samad, who was injured in the attack by students, is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital."
INITIATIVE FOR POLICE REFORM
At a meeting with a delegation led by UNDP's Resident Representative in Bangladesh Stefan Liller on Monday, Home Advisor Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the interim government will also pursue reforms in the police force and announced that a committee would be formed.
"No committee has been formed as yet, but soon a preliminary committee will be established to work on police reform. This primary committee will determine the process, methodology, and the individuals who will be involved in the reform. The subsequent steps will be based on the recommendations and opinions of the primary committee."
Faruque, an expert in crime and police science, said in addition to behavioural changes within the police force, gaps in public trust must be addressed.
“Training can be provided for this. While it may not be possible immediately, a well-designed plan with short-, medium-, and long-term goals can help police overcome the trauma they are facing."
Again emphasising the need to increase police engagement with the public, he said, "Police officers need to enhance their social activity. Engaging in dialogues with local stakeholders and interacting with different sectors of society will boost their confidence and raise the quality of service. Police must follow the law properly, avoiding political influence, and focus solely on serving the public."
As for concerns about the police shifting from one political influence to another, Professor Faruq offered a solution.
"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.
