Present Law and Order; Police confidence must be restored
Before going to the head topic, I would like to start with the remarks of Mr. Amartya Sen, a novelist, told to PTI (Press Trust of India) about Bangladesh situation. That his friend Dr. Yunus, the chief of the interim government of Bangladesh has long way to go to resolve impasse and further he felt worried, but not without hope. He cautioned against banning the Bangladesh Awami League. (Reported in The Daily Start on March 2, 2025).
Let’s go to the titled topic discussion, DMP (Dhaka Metropolitan Police) and other law enforces agencies arrested 1,471 held in last 6 days in the capital on May 1, 2025. The visible steps has been taken for controlling law and order situations, i.e. by installing 65 check points at key location while Armed Force Battalion (APBn) operated 20 more, 14 CCTV, 12 ATV, and 10 patrol teams of the DMP over the city. In the Operation Devil Hunt, Police arrested 12500 people as on Saturday, May 1, 2025. (Sourcing from different Newspapers).
On the other hand, women and children faced various form of crimes. In this regard, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and United Nation Population Fund Bangladesh jointly found that various shorts of violence happened against women and children. Their report may be published on May, 2025. They believe that the violence against women and children has risen compering to the last 12 months (sourcing United Nation Bangladesh Website published on March 2, 2025).
In Dhaka, the police feel unease because of multiple incidents of mugging took place across different parts of the city. Mugging, kidnapping, raping and snatching etc. have been growing dramatically. What is the inner condition of police? Let me recall the few months beck scenario; where 13 police officers were beaten to death in Enayetpur Police Station, Sirajganj. And total 44 police officers were killed in conflict in July-August uprising. The vibes of assaulting police has now become ordinary. At present, police personnel have been assaulted by the group of individuals in different parts of country.(Sourcing form daily newspaper as of March 1, 2025).
Recently, police personnel have beaten in Patenga Sea Beach, a vital tourist spot. In ongoing situation, the Home Ministry most surprisingly published a gazette that the protesters won’t face case over the incidents in July-August uprising from July 15th to August 08. In this event, those police personnel have lost their life by the attacker; their family members can’t seek justice for that loss of life. However, to build up the confidence of the police personnel, a visible judicial inquiry and punishment should be taken against those culprits who took active part in killing police personnel.
Hence, the earlier Home Ministry’s gazette as discussed above should be re-examined and relaxed for taking necessary steps for ensuring justice to the family members who have lost their sons worked in police. We must remember the role of the police in our liberation war, 1971. Yes, at that liberation time, at least 14,000 policemen from different parts including Rajarbagh took active participation for freedom of Bangladesh and at least 1,100 policemen died and embraced martyrdom for Bangladesh birth. (sourcing Bangladesh Police website).
Being primary law enforcement agency, Bangladesh police are maintaining law and order, protecting people’s life and property by preventing and detecting and taking action against crime and criminal. Hence, I would like to end my pen by giving thanks to the Bangladesh police for their contribution as discussed.
Written by Md. Juwel Azad; Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
