-Police faces trouble for political influencers
-Police opened fire on orders of senior officers
-Activities going on under army and BGB security
-39 stations & 3 outposts and 6 metropolitan stations vandalized
After the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, there was a lot of public anger against them due to the indiscriminate firing by the police.
Many police officers who have been in charge at various levels in Sylhet division during the three consecutive terms of the Awami League government have been staying at the same place for more than a century. As a result, they became corrupt like the political influencers.
On October 11, 2020, a young man named Raihan Ahmed of Akhalia area of the metropolis died in the morning at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital after being subjected to brutal torture at the Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Bandarbazar Police Outpost. A case has been filed under the Police Custody (Prevention of Death) Act in this incident, but the trial process is slow.
After all, on July 19 journalist Md Turab was shot dead by the police in Bandarbazar area of Sylhet metropolis. 5 people were killed by police and BGB firing in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet on August 4. Two others who were injured that day later died in hospital. Besides, 12 died in Habiganj and one in Sunamganj in police firing. Two thousand people were injured in the indiscriminate firing by the police.
The police at the field level are giving the responsibility of these to the superiors. The policemen alleged that they opened fire on the orders of the senior officers. Whoever is responsible - after the change of government, they have come under the wrath of extremely angry people. The Sylhet District Police Superintendent's office has been completely burnt down. All papers and files have been destroyed. Several cars and motorcycles in front of the office were burnt. Besides, ASI Santosh Saha of Baniachong Police Station of Habiganj was killed by the protesters. In this situation, there is panic among the members of the police force.
A senior police official said on condition of anonymity that 39 police stations and 3 outposts under the Sylhet range and 6 police stations in the metropolitan area were arson and vandalized. From the night of August 5, the police of these police stations and outposts went to safety.
However, efforts are being made to convince the policemen to join the work under the instructions of the new IGP. Activities started in some police stations of Sylhet from Wednesday. Police operations were normalized in most of the police stations on Thursday. The activities are going on under the security of army and BGB in various police stations. However, it is reported that many police stations in the division are not ready to provide services even till Friday.
Meanwhile, Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Abu Ahmad Siddiqui (NDC) held a meeting with the political leaders of Sylhet on Tuesday (6 August) night at Sylhet Circuit House. Leaders of various parties including BNP, Khilafat and Jamaat participated in it. Later on Wednesday, the leaders of these groups went to different police stations in Sylhet and urged the police officials to normalize the activities. In this regard, the political parties assured to provide all kinds of cooperation.
According to police sources, operations have been normalized in 6 police stations of the metropolitan area from Wednesday to Friday. However, work has not yet started in the affected outposts. And the activities have started in 6 out of 11 police stations of the district. Some of these police stations are guarded by the army and battalions of Ansar.
A senior officer of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) said on Friday evening that the current situation indicates that the police department is being reorganized. In the interests of the police force and public safety, the areas in question will be reshuffled, it is said. In this sequence, there will be reshuffle in the important positions of all units including DIG of police range in Sylhet. However, no notification or instructions have been issued in this regard yet.
It is to be noted that Range DIG (Deputy Inspector General of Police) Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman (BPM-Bar, PPM) on February 27 last year, Metropolitan Police (SMP) Commissioner Md Zakir Hossain Khan (PPM) on December 11 and Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Mannan on Joined Sylhet on July 10 of the year.
ZH
