Police system crumbles: stations destroyed, senior officials in hiding

Attacks on police stations nationwide have led to this unprecedented situation

Law enforcement broke down completely in Bangladesh on Tuesday, with police absent from their duty to keep law and order or manage traffic following the fall of Sheikh Hasina.

Since Monday afternoon, the presence of police in urban areas has dwindled, and by Tuesday, the breakdown of the police system was evident throughout the country.

Attacks on police stations and facilities across the country, resulting in numerous police casualties, have led to this unprecedented situation.

To save their lives, many top police officials, along with most other officers, have gone into hiding.

Consequently, police stations have remained empty and unguarded since Tuesday morning.

Police personnel are now seeking assurances for their safety to return to their posts and have even called for a work stoppage.

They are also expressing frustration at those responsible for the current state of police.

The Bangladesh Police Service Association, representing non-cadre officers and members, announced their grievances and work stoppage in a press release.

A faction of cadre officers, claiming to be 'deprived,' held a press conference demanding a swift restoration of the police system.

Since Jul 14, allegations have surfaced against the police for indiscriminately firing on students demanding quota reforms.

On Jul 19 and 20, police used heavy weaponry, including Chinese rifles, against protesters in Dhaka, resulting in numerous casualties.

Nearly 150 people of various ages died over the two days in Dhaka.

In response to the violence, the government imposed a curfew and deployed the army.

This was followed by block raids and the arrest of students involved in the quota reform movement.

Six key leaders of the student movement were also detained, although ex-Detective Branch of police chief Harunor Rashid said they were held in 'safe custody’.

He even publicised images of them being dined.

Accusations also emerged that he had intimidated the detainees to extract statements calling off the protest.

Police faced widespread public anger for unjust arrests and the deaths of hundreds.

This discontent peaked on the day before Hasina's fall.

Locals in Enayetpur, Sirajganj, killed 14 policemen on Sunday.

After Hasina's fall, attacks on police stations began across the country.

Now, police personnel at all levels are concerned about their safety.

Many police officers have relocated to the homes of relatives with their families. Some have also moved out of their residential areas.

Personnel from different police stations in Dhaka have gathered at Rajarbagh Police Lines or taken refuge in other safe locations.

Field-level officers are increasingly voicing their dissatisfaction with top officials, who they blame for the current crisis.

There is also anger over senior officials fleeing the Police Headquarters by helicopter, leaving their subordinates in danger.

Restoring trust among the lower ranks in senior officers is now a significant challenge, as many officials believe that without this trust, the police chain of command will collapse.

CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

On Tuesday, due to a lack of security, most police officers went into hiding, which prevented them from carrying out their regular duties.

As a result, the extent of police casualties and damage throughout the country could not be assessed.

According to the Bangladesh Police Service Association, around 450 police stations have been affected nationwide.

The total number of police stations across the country is around 650.

In a press conference at the Rajarbagh Police Lines on Tuesday evening, Additional Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidur Rahman said efforts to recover bodies of police personnel who died amid the law and order collapse following the fall of the government are still ongoing.

Therefore, the exact number of casualties remains unknown.

In response to a question, he said many police personnel have gone into hiding due to security concerns.

"We are working to bring them back to duty as quickly as possible and are also enhancing security at unprotected police stations," he added.

He advised maintaining constant communication with unit commanders regarding the security of police personnel in their current locations.

Additional IGP Atiqul Islam said they are investigating the extent of the damage and preparing a list of casualties and losses.

SIGNS OF DESTRUCTION, EMPTY STATIONS

After Tuesday morning, several police stations in Dhaka, including Badda, Khilkhet, Uttara East, Paltan, Mirpur, and Rupnagar, were found in ruins.

Vehicles, documents, and other assets had been set ablaze. Computers, laptops, and furniture were looted.

According to Md Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner of the DMP Media Wing’s Public Relations Department, most of the 50 police stations in Dhaka have been affected.

On Tuesday, during visits to key police offices in Dhaka, officials were found absent.

Around 11am, the main gates of the Police Geadquarters were locked, and some vehicles inside had broken windows.

A few police officers were stationed in the guardroom at the gate. They said no officials had arrived at the office since morning.

On Monday night, as reports of arson at police installations from all directions began to surface, people in Rajarbagh also became alarmed.

By midnight, a siren was sounded to signal a state of alert.

Videos of the siren started circulating on Facebook, triggering panic and rumours.

On Tuesday afternoon, Rajarbagh's main gate was locked, with armed guards on duty.

They said, "We survived. No one slept last night. We don’t know what will happen next."

The DMP’s Detective Branch office on Minto Road was also deserted.

Four policemen at the site appeared exhausted from a sleepless night.

One of them said, "How could we sleep with all the bad news and attacks on police stations?

The senior officers are missing; everyone has fled.”

A spray-painted message outside the DB office read, "Harun's hotel is closed."

The widely discussed police officer Harun used to work inside this compound before his transfer.

There are now rumours on Facebook about his arrest.

But he said he went to the office on Tuesday morning.

“The office was completely quiet. I left after around an hour,” he added.

The well-organised and clean Police Headquarters was also deserted, with only a few curious onlookers present.

Vehicles were scattered across the compound.

Despite the absence of officials, phone lines were active.

Newly appointed DB chief Md Ashrafuzzaman said “man management” is the now the top priority in this situation.

Syed Nurul Islam, deputy inspector general of the Dhaka Range, said: “Currently, the situation does not allow for going to the office.”

“However, we are maintaining communication with everyone.”

OUTRAGE AFTER COLLAPSE

The complete collapse of the system has left police officers frustrated, with many taking to Facebook to voice their grievances.

Saleh Imran, a sub-inspector at the Police Bureau of Investigation or PBI, wrote: “Despite requests from police members to senior officials to support public sentiment, senior officers issued strict orders to confront students and the public. Meanwhile, senior officers avoided the situation, leaving only police to face the consequences. The senior officers retreated to safety while the ground-level members were left in danger. Please do not target the field officers, who are merely following orders. Find those who issued the orders and bring them to justice. If any police officer acted excessively, hold them accountable; the entire force would support this.”

Additional DIG Md Sohel Rana of the Police Headquarters said: “Bangladesh Police appear to be completely leaderless at present. The accused officials have gone into hiding, leaving junior officers and staff disoriented. They are all innocent members.”

He added: “Police facilities and assets belong to the public, not the police. I urge everyone to avoid destroying or damaging state assets, including those of the police.”

An anonymous police officer outside the DMP media centre said they were stationed in a multi-storey building at the Police Headquarters.

On Monday afternoon, top officials fled via helicopter from the headquarters’ roof, leaving them unprotected.

When attackers began throwing bricks and stones at the headquarters around 11pm on Monday, they attempted to resist.

Some of them sought refuge in a nearby control room, which was also attacked and vandalised.

PRESS BRIEFINGS OVER WORK STOPPAGE

Police personnel have called a strike until the security of every member of the force is ensured in the wake of attacks and killings during the antigovernment movement.

They also protested by posting photographs of bloodstained caps on Facebook.

A statement by the Police Service Association, which represents members from constables to inspectors, said on Tuesday the personnel were forced to fire on the protesters against their will and offered an apology.

Now they are also demanding reforms much like reforms to quotas in government jobs.

The police association statement read, “A police member must be brought to justice if they commit a crime. We seek the security of police stations, outposts and establishments. We want the security of police members.

“More than 450 police stations were attacked across the country on Monday. These are your property and the country’s assets. We are announcing a work stoppage until the security of every member of police is ensures.

“We want a police force without discrimination. We want reform. We are apologising as police members for the crimes committed against students.”

“Since the start of the job, sub-inspectors or sergeants are forced to protect the interest of political high-ups. They are forced to carry out any legal or illegal orders from top officers.

“They are forced to open fire on the public in movements such as the quota reform movement to implement the party agenda. They vilified police members to the countrymen.”

However, Deputy Inspector General Shahidur Rahman dismissed the news of the police strike as misinformation.

“Don’t pay heed to the campaign over the work-stoppage programme,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"It is impossible to think of anything in society without police. Now, we are requesting the students, citizens and politicians to assist the police forgetting all past mistakes."

IGP'S VIDEO MESSAGE

On Tuesday, Inspector General of Police, or IGP, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun issued a video message from an undisclosed location, urging a stop to attacks on police installations.

A few hours later, he was removed from his post.

In the video, he said: “I urge that attacks on police and their facilities stop.”

The army continues to assist in ensuring their protection, he added.

NEW IGP APPOINTED

A new police chief is named after the government fired Sheikh Hasina-appointed IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun late Tuesday night.

Md Mainul Islam, commandant of Traffic and Driving School, will take over as the new Inspector General of Police, or IGP, the public administration ministry announced on Tuesday.

The sacked IGP was on contract, which the authorities cancelled through a notification, after reaching the age of retirement roughly two years ago. A second extension to his job as police chief came recently on Jul 5.

Mamun’s removal came in the wake of a complete breakdown of law and order across Bangladesh.

Mainul, 58, began his police career in Jan 1991 and has also served in police’s elite force, Rapid Action Battalion.

The new head of police was what is known as a supernumerary additional inspector general and has less than a year in the job if he retires at age 59.

With his promotion to the top job, the driving school chief bypasses many other additional IGPs holding key positions in the force but is surely senior to most of them in the civil service cadre.

ANSAR TO GUARD POLICE STATIONS

The Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party has been tasked with securing at unprotected police stations.

In addition, the force has also been given the responsibility to control traffic in Dhaka and security at Shahjalal International Airport.

Ansar and VDP Assistant Director and Public Relations Officer Rubel Hossain said the Ansar members will ensure internal security at all police stations.

[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi, Sheikh Fariha Bristy and Akramul Momen]