Making money over cases related to deaths in student-people's uprising: DMP commissioner

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner SM Sazzat Ali has stated that 'trade' was being made with the cases related to the deaths in the student-people's uprising.

He mentioned that, on Sunday action had been taken against a police officer from the Mohammadpur area who was allegedly involved in the incident.

The DMP commissioner made the remark at the "Meet the Press" event at the DMP Media Center on Minto Road on Monday.

He said that just being named as an accused in such cases does not justify immediate arrest or harassment at people's homes.

He emphasised that individuals should only be brought under the law if evidence links them to the incident.

In the changed circumstances, Sazzat Ali mentioned that DMP and Bangladesh Police are now working to provide services to the public in a new way.

He said, "Currently, incidents of snatching and robbery are rising. It has been reported to me that snatching has increased. To prevent this, the Detective Branch (DB) and local police have been activated. Extortion is happening, but it will be difficult to stop this if the society does not resist it. Please do not pay such 'toll'. We, the police, will stand by the people's side."

Sazzat Ali expressed sympathy for those who were injured in the student-people's uprising of July-August 2024, and prayed for the souls of those who were martyred during the protests.

He also acknowledged that during the movement, the DMP faced various challenges, and many officers acted unprofessionally. He apologized for their actions.

The DMP commissioner added that DMP and the police force are now working to provide better service, with several officers who acted unprofessionally during that period being transferred to other areas, and actions being taken against many of them according to the law.

Sazzat Ali also mentioned that the DMP is responsible for ensuring the safety of two 20 million people in Dhaka, despite having a limited number of police officers.

After the events of 5 August, the commissioner noted that the police became somewhat inactive, which led to an increase in killings, robberies, and looting in the city.

He described how ordinary people, including women and elderly citizens, were forced to act as guards in their neighborhoods.

He credited the previous DMP commissioner, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and their colleagues for working tirelessly to restore order.

He highlighted that the city’s primary problem is traffic congestion and stressed that the large number of battery-powered rickshaws must be dealt with to improve the situation.

Sazzat Ali also acknowledged the chaos in Dhaka's traffic management, with many people ignoring traffic laws and hawkers occupying sidewalks.

He has initiated efforts to bring order to the roads and has been increasing traffic law enforcement. He emphasized that improving the traffic system will require the cooperation of Dhaka’s residents.

Regarding the appointment of police officers, Sazzat Ali mentioned that in the past 15 years, 80,000 to 90,000 officers had been recruited based on their political affiliation, with extensive background checks on their and their families' political associations.

He noted that, although it was not possible to send these officers home, action was being taken against those who had acted unprofessionally.

In response to another question, he said that the police are working to ensure security for the upcoming events, including Martyred Intellectuals Day on 14 December, Victory Day on 16 December, and the New Year's Eve celebrations on 31 December.

At the press conference, DMP additional commissioner M Shawkat Ali also reported that approximately 1,800 firearms had been looted from various DMP stations and posts, with around 1,200 weapons already recovered, and efforts continue to retrieve the remaining weapons.