Police yet to resume operations in full swing

A phone was stolen from Dhanmondi three days ago. It belonged to a businessperson. The victim lodged a GD over the incident. Despite locating the phone, the police are not being able to retrieve the phone.

Sources relevant to the investigation say the phone is still active. The snatcher has been asked to return the phone at the police station. But a person from the other end of the phone threatened the police officer and said, “If you dare, come and take the phone.” The police did not dare to go to recover the mobile phone.

In another incident, a group of snatchers armed with cleavers attacked a university student on a rickshaw and snatched away his mobile phone and cash money in the Nobodoy Housing Society area in the capital’s Mohammadpur. Although there were people around, nobody came forward to help the victim. The student later filed a general diary (GD) instead of a case to avoid any hassle.

Recently a drug dealer video called an officer-in-charge (OC) and showed him some drugs saying, “You have arrested me several times before. If you dare, come and arrest me now.”

Several officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that the police are yet to resume their operations in full swing. There is hardly any search drive or patrol at the moment. Incidents of theft and mugging have increased. However, the police stations are hardly registering any cases of mugging. Most of the GDs that were lodged after 5 August were related to theft.

The police officials further say the members of police are still too afraid to run activities outside the police stations. The police stations used to send one or two members to arrest an accused. However, it now needs a full team to arrest somebody.

This correspondent visited the Badda, Hatirjheel, Ramna, New Market and the Dhanmondi police stations on Wednesday and Thursday. However, there was almost no crowd in any of these stations.

Prior to 5 August, the average number of GDs registered with each police station used to be between 40 and 80. The number has decreased exponentially. Many of the police stations are still under renovation. Ansar members are still deployed at several police stations.

This correspondent spoke to at least 10 sub-inspectors (SI) of five police stations. They say the top officials always speak big. But the reality is the police station based activities are yet to resume in full swing. The police still don’t dare to go outside to arrest miscreants.

Many killings took place during clashes among police, students and people at various places of the country with several police structures being attacked, vandalised and torched three days ahead and after the fall of the government. Police operation stopped after Sheikh Hasina left the country on 5 August. Police members dared not come to the police station. Ansar members were deployed to guard police structures.

Operation resumed at various police stations in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country on 9 August on a limited scale, which was followed by the resumption of activities at all 639 police stations in the country, but police are not active like before.

The Badda police station is one of several police stations recording cases after the fall of the government. Visiting the Badda police stations, police were seen registering three general diaries between 11:00 pm on Wednesday and 12:00 am on Thursday while 45 general diaries and a lawsuit were registered throughout Wednesday. Officer-in-charge Saiful Islam told Prothom Alo their operation has resumed in full swing. Since their police station came under attack, many are still afraid, he added.

Police sources said several police members are afraid they cannot sleep at night and many do not want to go outside the police station.

Two salesmen engaged in a fight in the capital’s New Market. Salesman Anwar Hossain sustained severe injuries after another salesman Md Sahriar attacked the former. Anowar Hossain filed a case with the New Market police station on Wednesday night. He visited the police station around 3:00 pm on Thursday. Anowar Hossain spoke to Prohom Alo at the police station. He said, “I filed the case, but the accused is still working at his shop since police are not arresting him.”

New Market police station sub-inspector Abul Bashar said the victim filed a complaint on Wednesday night, which was recorded as a case later following a scrutinisation. Police were trying to arrest the accused.

No lawsuit was filed at Hatirjheel police station. Visiting the police station on Thursday, at least 10 people were seen gathering at the police station to report on various crimes. They wanted to file general dairy and cases while a woman came to file a case over a rape allegation.

Several victims said thefts and muggings have grown in number since the collapse of the policing system. They demanded strengthening police patrol along with recording of general diaries and cases.

Hatirjheel police station officer-in-charge Saiful Islam, however, said his police station is in full operation and they also conducted operations to arrest the accused.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Md Mainul Hasan told Prothom Alo police members are a little afraid following the occurrences of such a big event. All must work to overcome this fear. Policing has already become somewhat normal at the police stations. He hoped everything would be normal with the effort of everyone.