A 5 August hotspot, Jatrabari police station still bears the scar

Riyad (not real name), 27, is at Jatrabari police station to file a general diary. After waiting over half an hour in the duty officer's room, he still has not had his turn.

He recently lost his wallet, which had a SIM card registered in his mother's name. She passed away a few days ago. Customer care told him he needs a copy of the general diary to retrieve the SIM.

"I've been waiting for almost an hour, and my turn still hasn't come," Riyad said.

Sub-Inspector Sakhayet Hossain was the duty officer, with a female police officer sitting beside him. There was only one computer on his desk. Across from him sat 5-6 people, including Riyad, who came to file cases or general diaries.

Sakhayet said, "We used to have three or four computers, but now there is only one. We write over a hundred general diaries each day, so people often have to wait a long time to file their complaints."

After the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina fell on 5 August, over 500 police stations across the country were attacked. Jatrabari police station in the capital was among them. The six-storey building was largely destroyed due to vandalism and arson resorted to by angry students and the public.

At first, police operations started in two rooms of the nearby Demra police station, but they returned to the Jatrabari building in the first week of October. Although the renovation is not complete, police activities continue with limited equipment, manpower, and vehicles.

"To make things easier for the public, we started operations here before the building renovation was complete. Despite some challenges, we are providing services to everyone," said Faruk Hossen, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jatrabari police station.

On 23 October, during a visit, it was noticed that barbed wire had been placed around the police station to prevent anyone from climbing over the wall. The recently painted building looked bright, while a pile of burnt vehicles was spotted just inside the main gate of the police station area.

Police officer Sajib, who joined the station in September, said, "There are no old members here; everyone is new." He added, "The burnt vehicles are still here. Everything, from furniture to vehicles, is being replaced."

While the outside painting is finished, Sajib noted that the furniture is not fully arranged, and they are still installing window glass.

OC Faruk Hossen was away from the station for an operation and advised over the phone to contact the duty officer.

On the second floor of the police station, where operations are held, the room on the left is for the duty officer. That day, Sakhayet was in charge.

He said that police activities are running, but due to shortages of staff, patrol vehicles, and other resources, the public is not receiving all the services they expect.

Operations conducted with borrowed vehicles

According to sources at the police station, there were seven vehicles before, but all were burned in a fire set by agitated students on 5 August. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police later provided one new vehicle, and two old vehicles were borrowed from Tejgaon police station.

Police officers report that the old vehicles often break down, causing delays in operations and patrols. A police sub-inspector told TBS that the borrowed vehicles from Tejgaon frequently malfunction, disrupting police services.

Staff shortage

Before August, the police station had 258 personnel, including 206 police officers and 52 Ansar members. Now, the staff has dropped to just around 150.

Police officers report that the attacks and arson on 5 August destroyed all case documents. As a result, many warrant-listed suspects are still free, and they cannot arrest them. The ongoing staff shortage also makes it difficult to obtain warrant orders from the regular court.

A sub-inspector said incidents of mugging are rising in the Jatrabari area, with complaints coming in every day. "Robberies and thefts are part of a circle. If we had the case documents from previous cases, it would be easier to identify these groups. Many suspects with warrants are not being arrested due to the lack of documentation."

He added, "We have to regularly travel to the court to obtain warrant papers. Due to the manpower shortage, we are under pressure."

When asked about the overall situation, OC Faruk Hossain said, "Despite our limitations, we are providing services. However, we are gradually overcoming these limitations. A new building has already been made suitable for use, and new chairs and tables have been brought in. When new personnel are posted, the manpower shortage will also be resolved."