Signs of vandalism, looting at every police station in Dhaka

The majority of the 50 police stations in the capital have been affected due to the attacks

After Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled in a student-citizen uprising, police stations across Bangladesh were vandalised, looted and set on fire.

The signs of vandalism are evident in what remains of the police stations across the capital, with the majority of them turned to rubble after acts of violence spiked on Aug 5.

The capital’s Mirpur Model Police Station, which was torched after Hasina fled the country on Monday, was still burning a day after it was attacked.

On Tuesday, around 12:30pm, black fumes billowed out of the third floor of the three-storey police station.

A crowd had also gathered outside the main gates of the police station to see the burnt furniture, jackets, weapons, and helmets lying amid the rubble.

The station, which was once fully operational and used to monitor Mirpur's law-and-order situation, now lay in ruins.

The attackers had torched the armoured vehicles and motorcycles which were parked outside the station.

The four-storey police residential building behind the station had been vandalised and looted, and motorcycles parked in front of it had also been stolen.

On Tuesday, students from various educational institutions were seen guarding the burnt police station to stop mobs from looting the premises.

They were also seen gathering all the burnt weapons, helmets, and shoes, which were scattered on the ground.

A poster was hung at the front gate to warn people from entering the building.

The students say they did not participate in any kind of vandalism or arson attacks on the police stations.

They were seen guarding the stations of the policemen who had once fired bullets and tear shells at them.

Abdur Rahman Apu, an 11th grader from Dhaka Commerce College said: “The building was on fire when we came in the morning. The entire area was in chaos. When we spoke to the army about bringing the situation under control, they asked us to provide security there.”

“The government quarter behind the police station was also looted. The Imam’s room was also not spared. A few miscreants have looted everything. We have been able to protect a few things after taking position inside the station. Students of the colleges in Mirpur have been tasked with protecting the police stations.”

Apu also said that the students did not see any dead bodies after arriving at the station in the morning.

“After coming here, we saw that the weapons were scattered here and there. We are trying to make sure that no one can steal even a piece of thread from here. It is our responsibility to protect the property of the state,” said Apu.

“People looted the Ganabhaban mindlessly yesterday, taking whatever they could. This is the state’s property, and there is no point destroying it.”

He added: “We will stay here until the army takes over. There are many weapons inside. They must be protected.”

“If we move, it wont even take five minutes for them to loot the police station. Since the station was set ablaze, they could not take anything kept inside it. But they have stolen refrigerators, and television from the police quarter behind the station.”

Signs of looting and vandalism could also be seen at the Rupnagar Police Station.

According to locals, miscreants were unable to loot anything from the station due to the initiatives taken by them. No policemen were harmed either.

Hashem Ali, a doorman of the house across the police station said that the locals guarded the station until 3:30am. However, some people came later that night and took away the CCTV cameras, laptops and furniture from the police station.

Shahed, a resident of the area, said: “We were here until 3:30am. But after we left, some people came and looted the police station. After getting the news, we came back to the station and informed the OC. He came and called a member of the army.”

“Later, the army came and asked us to hand over the weapons to them. We gave them all the weapons from the station. We are fully engaged in securing the police station. Although a few things were stolen from the first floor, everything remains intact on the second floor.”

After visiting the Pallabi Police Station premises around 2pm on Tuesday, it could be seen that army personnel had taken position inside the station.

The entire station, including police vehicles and motorcycles kept in front of the building, had been destroyed.

On Tuesday, residents of Khilkhet were seen guarding the police station.

One of the locals present at the station said: “We have stepped up so the station is not attacked and looted again. We will stay here until the army arrives.”

Khilkhet Police Station SI Mofakharul Islam said: “Although the police station was set on fire, everyone from the station is safe. Most of the people of our force are currently in a safer place. However, one or two policemen are still here.”

Everything has been looted from Adabor Police Station as well.

The motorcycles kept outside the station have been stolen and flames have engulfed the police vehicle. The station is now completely empty after the loot.

According to Md Faruk Hossain, a deputy commissioner and spokesperson for Dhaka Metropolitan Police, most of the 50 police stations in the capital have been affected.