Activities resume in 29 police stations of Dhaka

Army personnel posted in front of the Gulshan police Station in Dhaka. Photo taken on 9 August 2024.Prothom Alo

Five military personnel are on duty in front of capital’s Gulshan police station. Sub-inspector (SI) Mamun Mia was found working at his table. Only one general diary (GD) was filed with this police station till 12:00 pm today, Friday. Members of the Tejgaon police station have also rejoined their posts. A total of three GDs have been registered with this police station till 1:00 pm.

Not only the Gulshan and Tejgaon police stations, services have resumed in 29 police stations of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) from 8:00 am this morning, after remaining closed for three consecutive days. The police members joined their posts under the watch of army personnel.  

Activities have resumed in those police stations which had not been attacked or have suffered less damages. Meanwhile, the police didn’t even have the scope to sit down in the police stations that have been attacked, vandalised and set on fire. So, 21 police stations of DMP have not resumed with their activities yet.

Also Read

The deputy commissioner of the media and public relations division at DMP couldn’t be reached when he was called over phone to comment on this matter. He also didn’t reply when he was sent a text message.  

The service have resumed in Ramna, Kalabagan, Dhanmondi, Hazaribagh, Kotwali, Chawkbazar, Sutrapur, Demra, Gandaria, Motijheel, Sabujbagh, Shahjahanpur, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Hatirjheel, Shah Ali, Kafrul, Bhashantek, Darussalam, Rupnagar, Cantonment, Banani, Uttara South, Uttarkhan and Airport police stations today, Friday.

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government in a mass uprising of students and public, there were incidents attacks, vandalism and arson in many police stations of the capital from the afternoon of last Monday. And the vehicles used by the police and were burnt down. Various properties including weapons and documents were looted in many stations. The structure of the police force almost collapsed after that.

Sub-inspector of Gulshan police station Mamun Mia told Prothom Alo that only one GD in connection to a family matter has been filed with the police station till 12:00 pm this afternoon. Meanwhile, several other people were noticed waiting their turn to file GDs and cases.  

Police personnel working in plain clothes at Shahbag police station in Dhaka. Photo taken on 9 August 2024.
Prothom Alo

Officer-in-charge (OC) of the Gulshan police station, Mazharul Islam told Prothom Alo that there have been no attacks on Gulshan police station after 5 August. And, regular activities in their police station resumed from today.

Going to capital’s Tejgaon police station in the afternoon it was noticed that most of the police members who have joined the police station were performing their duties in plain clothes. Officer-in-charge of the police station Mohammad Mohsin told Prothom Alo that there have been no attacks on Tejgaon police station. And, there have been about three GDs filed with the police station till 1:00 pm this afternoon.

Police officer Mohsin added that they don’t want to see the police acting under someone else’s authority. This police official also made the demand of forming a free police commission.

Badda police station in the capital was attacked, vandalised and set on fire on 5 August. There’s no way of working in that police station. It was learnt that a few of the police members have joined the police station under the watch of military personnel.

Also Read

One of the army personnel posted in front of the police station was making a list of the police members who have returned to the station. Three police members including an inspector said that they will resume service under the direction of the officer-in-charge at the police station.

Miscreants have burnt down the police station in Vatara as well. While visiting the police station on Friday it was noticed that army personel have been deployed in front of the charred police station building. None of the police members have returned to that police station yet.

Sub-inspector Mainul Islam has reported of resuming activities at the Shahbag police station. He said that they have joined their posts yesterday, Thursday. They have prepared the inquest reports of two dead bodies.

The activities of New Market police station resumed around 8:00 am today, Friday morning. Many of the police members are performing their duties in plain clothes there. Officer-in-charge of the police station, Md Aminul Islam stated that three GDs have been filed with the police station till 1:00 pm this afternoon.