Bangladesh in Turmoil: Police Urged to Resume Duties Amid Crisis

A top police official in Bangladesh has urged police to gradually return to duty amidst escalating violence and attacks on law enforcement. The situation worsened after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, leading to a significant breakdown in public order. The readymade garment sector plans to resume operations despite ongoing unrest.

A top police official in Bangladesh has urged every member of the police force to gradually resume their duties and maintain public safety amidst escalating violence and attacks on law enforcement authorities in the nation.

Additional Inspector General of Police A.K.M. Shahidur Rahman, appointed as the focal person of the Bangladesh Police to manage the current crisis, emphasized the crucial role of the police in society and asked his force to ignore rumours.

'The police are friends of the people and work for the public. We cannot imagine a society without the police. Therefore, I request our police members once again to ignore rumours and return to their duties in a phased manner, ensuring that security arrangements are properly in place,' Rahman stated.

Reports indicate that most police stations, including those in the capital Dhaka, are currently deserted. Over four hundred police stations have been subjected to attacks, vandalism, arson, and looting. Consequently, police officers have vacated their posts, seeking safer shelters.

According to a police headquarters official, the force has not faced such a crisis since 1971. Clashes with agitated mobs and the subsequent evacuation of law enforcement officers have exacerbated the situation.

Following the attack on the police headquarters on Monday night, senior officials were evacuated to safety. The breakdown in law enforcement ties directly to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, leaving the country without adequate police presence.

With the army now in charge following Hasina's ouster and the death toll rising to 440, President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament and appointed Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus to lead an interim government.

Meanwhile, the readymade garment (RMG) and textile factories are set to reopen. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) have called on their members to resume operations while ensuring safety amid ongoing unrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)