IGP should step down as soon as possible: Nahid Islam

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir should step down over his remarks about “crossfire”. He has also called for reforms to the police force.

Speaking at a meeting organised by the NCP in Gazipur on Tuesday afternoon, Nahid Islam said, “We believe that apologising is not enough; the IGP no longer has the right to remain in office. We have demanded his removal. He should step down as soon as possible.

As the head of a law enforcement agency, he was supposed to ensure the rule of law, yet he has said he would carry out crossfire killings if the government instructed him to do so. We did not even see anyone speak so openly about this during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure. Therefore, the police force must certainly undergo reforms.”

On Monday, IGP Md Ali Hossain Fakir said at an event in Chawkbazar in Old Dhaka that the police would carry out “crossfire” (extrajudicial killings) if the government gave permission and the situation required it.

Speaking about local government elections, Nahid Islam said BNP leaders were establishing their dominance at the grassroots level. He warned that the government and the Election Commission would fail if they could not ensure free and fair elections.

He also threatened to take to the streets if the authorities conducted elections through partisan control, as the previous government had done.

Nahid Islam further alleged that the government was gradually becoming authoritarian, like the Awami League. He said BNP loyalists were being placed in administrative positions, the police chief was threatening crossfire killings, and authorities were filing cases under anti-terrorism laws against people who criticised the government. He also accused the government of politicising the administration, saying that holding elections under such circumstances would be difficult.

The NCP convener also criticised the government for increasing the salaries of public sector employees while leaving garment workers’ wages unchanged. He expressed support for the demand to raise the minimum monthly wage for garment workers to Tk 30,000.

The NCP organised the meeting at the district council auditorium to review the party’s organisational progress and formulate central plans for the local government elections.

Those present included NCP political council member and Senior Joint Member Secretary Sarjis Alam; Joint Convener and political council member Ali Ahsan Zonaed; Dhaka North Organising Secretary Saifullah Hyder; and leaders from the district and upazila levels in Gazipur.

Later, at around 8.30 pm on Tuesday, Nahid Islam visited Md Bappi at Beraiderchala in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur. Bappi became physically disabled during the July uprising.

Speaking to journalists there, Nahid Islam said, “This government is the outcome of the July mass uprising. This election became possible, and the government was able to assume power, because hundreds of people sacrificed their lives, lost limbs or became physically disabled. The government must give these injured brothers and sisters due attention, putting politics and everything else aside. Their treatment must not suffer because of administrative or bureaucratic complications.”