Police officers will no longer be posted to metropolitan police units located in their home districts. The Police Headquarters has taken this policy decision for personnel ranging from constables to additional superintendents of police across six ranks.
Work has already begun to compile a list of officers currently serving in metropolitan police units within the same district as their permanent residence. Multiple sources at Police Headquarters told Prothom Alo that more than a hundred such officers could be transferred elsewhere within the next few days. However, officers who are due to retire within seven to eight months may be exempted on humanitarian grounds.
Apart from district police, Bangladesh currently has separate police units in eight metropolitan areas. Policing in metropolitan areas differs significantly from district-level policing. Posting officers in their own districts had already been prohibited to prevent family ties, social relationships, political connections, or financial interests from influencing their duties. However, this policy had not been applied as strictly to metropolitan police units.
According to relevant sources, a practice of avoiding postings in metropolitan police units within officers’ home districts began around 2021–22. At the time, several sub-inspectors and inspectors serving in the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) while residing in the same district became involved in drug trafficking and other local criminal activities.
In addition, allegations emerged from other metropolitan areas that some officers were using local influence, maintaining links with criminal groups, building political networks, and lobbying to prevent transfers. As a result, Police Headquarters decided to remove such officers from the respective metropolitan police units.
Since 2021–22, new postings of officers to metropolitan police units in their home districts—except in the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)—have been largely discontinued. However, Police Headquarters sources say that due to lobbying and special circumstances, a small number of officers were still assigned to metropolitan units within their home districts. Others remained there because of earlier postings. Some of them have reportedly become involved in various criminal activities.
Fresh discussion, transfers based on lists
Police sources say that over time, some officers have taken advantage of this flexibility to become influential figures in their local areas. This has been particularly evident among officers serving for long periods in detective branches, police stations, traffic divisions, and crime-control units, where they often build informal networks.
These networks may include local political leaders, land grabbers, extortionists, drug traffickers, transport-sector power brokers, and groups involved in frequent litigation.
One of the latest controversial cases involves Taimur Islam, an inspector in the Detective Branch (DB) of the Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP). Local residents have accused him of filing harassment cases, making arbitrary arrests, extorting money through intimidation, assisting in the seizure of businesses, and maintaining links with criminal groups.
Following the July mass uprising, Taimur Islam joined KMP on 3 November, 2024. Despite receiving transfer orders on two occasions, he did not leave his post in Khulna.
His ties to Khulna are longstanding. Police records list his permanent address on Khan Jahan Ali Road in Khulna Sadar. He studied at Azam Khan Government Commerce College in Khulna and spent a substantial part of his career there. Complainants allege that these local roots and long professional connections enabled him to build a powerful network both within and outside the police force.
Prothom Alo published a report on the matter yesterday. Sources said that on the same day, a decision was taken to attach him to the Rangpur Range.
The issue of officers serving in metropolitan police units within their home districts has since come under renewed scrutiny. Relevant sources say Police Headquarters is now moving to make a decision as quickly as possible.
A list has already been prepared containing more than one hundred officers, from constables to sub-inspectors. Around ten police inspectors are also included. It remains unclear whether a separate review will be conducted for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Likewise, no final decision has yet been confirmed regarding superintendents of police, metropolitan police commissioners, or deputy inspectors general (DIGs) serving in their home districts.
A senior Police Headquarters official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that the matter is no longer merely an issue of administrative transfers.
“In many cases, officers who remain in their local areas for a long time develop special relationships with local politicians, businesspeople, contractors, criminal groups, and even sections of the police force. This undermines impartial policing and ultimately affects law and order,” the official said.
When contacted for comment, Police Headquarters spokesperson AHM Shahadat Hossain, an assistant inspector general of police, told Prothom Alo that the cases of officers who continue to serve in metropolitan police units despite being residents of the same district are currently under review.
“A decision regarding them will be taken soon,” he said.