84 Police Officers on arrest list for July Massacre in Bangladesh

There is a fear of arrests in the police force of Bangladesh for July Massacre. Police officers are unable to concentrate on their work. Cases have been filed against ministers, MPs, leaders and bureaucrats of the ousted Awami League government across the country, including Dhaka, over the casualties caused by the student-public uprising.

Cases have also been filed against constables, starting with the former IGP of the police. 33 police officers, including the former IGP, have been arrested and interrogated on remand. They have been accused of being involved in the murder and giving orders. Some of the accused are outside the country. Some are in hiding or in various police units. About 202 police members are absent from work.

Recently, former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed was accused of inciting the police against the government online. In view of this, a list has been finalized to arrest 84 police officers. The Police Headquarters has taken permission from the top level of the government regarding the list. The list includes former IGP, Additional IGP, DIG, Additional DIG, Superintendent of Police, Additional Superintendent of Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police and Inspector, a police source confirmed. A notice is being sent to Interpol, the highest international organization of police, to arrest the absconding officers.

Concerned sources told, with the change in the political landscape, the police force of the Awami League government has been destroyed. The police force is being reorganized. Although the activities of various units have started, there has been no momentum yet. The authorities are trying to speed up the work. A meeting of senior officials has been held regarding this. Cases have been filed against many constables, starting from the Additional IGP, on various charges including murder. A list of those who did not appear at work has been made. Several officers have been sent on compulsory retirement. It has been decided to dismiss the rest after a specified period. Several officers have gone abroad. So far, 33 officers, including two former IGPs, have been arrested.

They gave details of the instructions given to prevent the student and public movement. The detained police officers also provided information on what issues were discussed in the meeting between ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and top Awami League leaders.

The government has information that fugitive and other police officers are working against the government. It has been decided to bring those who directly participated and gave directions during the movement under the law. The police headquarters has made a final list, in which 84 people have been named. Some of them are in hiding, some are abroad and some are serving in various police units.

Police sources said that as part of this, Rangpur Metropolitan Police arrested and took into custody Police Superintendent Asaduzzaman, Commandant of the In-Service Training Center in Nilphamari, on Friday night. Former Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioners Mollah Nazrul Islam and Mohammad Shahidullah, who were attached to the Rajshahi Sarada Academy, have been arrested. Rangpur Range Attached Police Superins Abdul Mannan and Abul Hasnat have been arrested by the Rangpur Metropolitan Police. Arrested DIG Mollah Nazrul Islam was the former Gazipur Metropolitan Commissioner and in charge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Intelligence Department. He was accused of using immoral force, including murder and disappearance. 27th batch Superintendent of Police Abul Hasnat, while serving as SP of Bagerhat, faced criticism for his political statements in suppressing the 2024 elections and the anti-discrimination student movement. SP Abdul Mannan used force in the elections and anti-discrimination student movement while serving in Comilla and Sylhet. There are multiple allegations of staging 'militant drama' against him while serving as the Superintendent of Police in CTTC. Asaduzzaman was the Superintendent of Police of Noakhali district. He was widely criticized for his use of force and immoral activities during the elections and later the anti-discrimination student movement. Cases were filed against them after the July-August coup. They were kept attached to various police units. The responsible officers of certain areas and politically blessed officials are responsible for destroying the professionalism of the police. They have used the police as a tool for political repression by sitting in the most important offices of the police. They have violated all the existing rules including the PRB and have worked for a special party. Many have demanded exemplary punishment for them.

A DIG working at the police headquarters told, "A list has been made of police officers and other members who used force during the student-public movement. The decision to arrest 84 people on the list has been finalized. At least 15 officers are likely to be arrested during the ongoing operation. The rest will be brought under the law within six months. Two DIGs and three police superintendents were arrested on Friday night."

He said, "A notice has been sent to Interpol seeking cooperation in catching the fugitive members. We have confirmed that some have left the country."

Another police official told, "So far, 25 police officers have been sent on compulsory retirement after August 5. Former CID chief Mohammad Ali Mia, former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, Additional IGP Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Md. Atiqul Islam, DIG Md. Abdul Baten, Additional IGP Krishna Pad Roy, Khandaker Lutful Kabir and Mir Rezaul Alam, DIG Joydev Kumar Bhadra, Md. Asaduzzaman, Md. Moniruzzaman, Md. Mozammel Haque, Sardar Rakibul Islam and Md. Imam Hossain and Additional DIG Chowdhury Manjurul Kabir are among them. The police headquarters has planned to bring some of them under the law quickly."

Police sources said that the law enforcement agencies resorted to repression to suppress the student-public movement over quota reform. More than 800 people, including students and innocent people, police, and Ansar, lost their lives in the firing. There is a storm of criticism in the country and abroad regarding this. Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign from the post of Prime Minister in the August 5 mass uprising. She fled to India. Top police officials also went into hiding.

The government's intelligence agencies, including the police headquarters, have started investigating their cases. They have been identified. The list includes the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, DIG, Additional DIG, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Officer-in-Charge of the Police Station. Inspectors, sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors and constables have also been named as accused. The final list includes former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former DMP Intelligence Branch (DB) chief Mohammad Harun-ur Rashid, Joint Police Commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar, Additional DIG Prolay Kumar Joarder, former Dhaka Range DIG Syed Nurul Islam, former CID chief Mohammad Ali Mia, former PBI chief Banaj Kumar Majumder, former RAB DG M Khurshid Hossain, former RAB DG Barrister Harun-ur Rashid, former DMP Additional Commissioner Hafiz Akhter, former CTTC DIG Asaduzzaman and most district police superintendents. A secret police report said that there were no casualties during the movement in Jessore, Gopalganj and Thakurgaon districts.