Have senior police officers accused of indiscriminate shooting fled country?

At least a dozen senior police officers, accused of giving orders to indiscriminately shoot during the student-led mass uprising in July and August, are now unaccounted for. Reports suggest that these officers managed to leave the country by manipulating the police administration.

An intelligence report indicates that several police officers crossed the border at Lalmonirhat. Among them are Additional Police Commissioner Proloy Kumar Joarder and former head of the Special Branch, Monirul Islam, along with at least four others.

In a phone interview with a private television channel recently, Monirul Islam said that after the Awami League government fell on 5 August, he sought refuge in the cantonment with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) using a helicopter. Once the situation improved, he left the cantonment and went to stay at a relative's house.

However, police sources indicate that while at his relative's house, he exploited the worsening flood situation in the southern region to escape the country with help from current and former police officers.

However, TBS could not verify these reports.

But in a confirmed case, on 18 September at 10:30pm, former chief of the Tourist Police, additional inspector general Rezaul Alam, departed Dhaka for Sydney on Malaysia Airlines flight MH-103. He is listed as the 37th accused in a murder case filed after 5 August, relating to an attack that occurred on 4 August in front of Hotel Living in Paltan, Dhaka.

Former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman allegedly sought refuge in India, with a Central Jubo League leader claiming to TBS that he had seen him at a hotel there. But another former DMP commissioner, Khandaker Golam Faruq, reportedly failed to leave the country.

In mid-August, former Additional Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman from the DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit left the country through an eastern district border.

In mid-September, former DMP Additional Commissioner and ex-DB Chief Harun-or-Rashid, along with Biplob Kumar Sarkar, reportedly fled to India.

Former DMP Joint Commissioners Mehedi Hasan and Liton Kumar Das have not returned to duty, and their whereabouts are unknown.

Currently, 187 police officers, including several Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG) and Additional DIGs, are reported absent from their posts and have allegedly left the country.

Crime analysts have criticised the situation, blaming the officials' departures on the unprofessional conduct of intelligence agencies, including the police's Special Branch.

Enamul Haque Sagar, assistant inspector-general of police of Media and Public Relations at police headquarters, said, "We are working to locate those with cases filed against them, and action has already been taken against the 187 officers still absent for various reasons."

Sources at the police headquarters added that if an officer does not report for duty for 40 consecutive working days, they will be considered missing, and a general diary (GD) will be filed. Departmental action will follow.

Nazmus Saqib, assistant professor of Criminology at the University of Dhaka, said, "When the BNP was in power, police officers like Kohinoor Mia were widely known. A similar situation has occurred under the Awami League. Currently, the public's main focus has been on the police."

Analysts also noted that these accused officers understand how intelligence agencies work, making it hard to track or identify them.

The police headquarters has received permission to arrest at least 26 former and current senior police officers, ranging from Inspector General of Police (IGP) to inspectors. Most of these officers were influential during the ousted Awami League government.

Sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police headquarters said that the permission was granted in three phases by Police Branch-1 of the Public Security Division through the Confidential Branch of the police headquarters. The request for permission also outlined the reasons for the arrests.

After the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government fell on 5 August, following a student and public uprising, murder cases were filed against the 26 officers. Sources suggest that the police are accused of indiscriminately firing on students and civilians during the anti-discrimination student movement.

Among them, seven officers have already been arrested. The others are in hiding, with reports that some have fled abroad.

A police headquarters officer, on condition of anonymity, said, "There is a decision to arrest powerful police officials named as accused in various cases, but many can't be arrested because they cannot be located."

An officer on the arrest list, who is hiding to avoid arrest, stated, "I don't understand why permission was sought for my arrest. During major incidents, several senior officers are in charge, so it's not fair to blame just one person."

In addition to these 26 officers, there are more influential individuals accused of irregularities and corruption. Permission to arrest them will be obtained gradually. In some cases, individuals are detained first, and formal arrest permission is obtained later, according to sources from the headquarters. 

Contacted, DIG Md Rezaul Karim said, "Permission has been granted to arrest several police officers named as accused in criminal cases. Those who can be located are being taken into custody."

So far, 184 police members, including three former IGPs, have been accused in murder cases for shooting during the anti-discrimination student movement across the country. Of these, 99 are from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

When asked about police officials being named as accused in the murder cases, former IGP Mohammad Nurul Huda said, "The law is equal for everyone. According to the law, if anyone is involved in any criminal offence, including murder, they can indeed be named as accused."

Following the fall of the Awami League government, several police stations across the country were attacked, vandalised, set on fire, and weapons were looted.

Forty-six police officers lost their lives during these incidents. When the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus took office on 8 August, the police were on strike. Subsequently, several top police positions saw changes and transfers.

Twenty-three officers were also placed into mandatory retirement. Many have yet to return to their posts, while others returned briefly before taking leave again, leaving the police force not fully active.