Sacked cops under scanner

Many getting engaged in crimes after being fired

Golam Mostafa Jibon: Police personnel fired for different offenses have brought under scanner by the high-ups as many of them are nowadays getting engaged in various small and large shaped of crimes, sources said.
According to the police sources, the dismissed police personnel have brought under special surveillance due to various crimes including drug and arms trading. Earlier at different times, these policemen were involved in various crimes and sacked for the reasons. Now, they can easily deceive common people by pretending to be police as they have various trainings on the profession due to working in the police department. Many are now getting involved in criminal activities using their previous talent by mixing with the criminal world. Recently, a letter has been sent to various units of the police from the police headquarters to be more careful about them. In that letter, some 106 police personnel sacked for drug abusing in the last one year have also been ordered to be brought under surveillance. They lost their jobs after failing the dope test. Complaints about some of them have already been received at the police headquarters.
It is said that, the list of names of those policemen has been sent to the Superintendent of Police of the district and the concerned police station.
It is known that, dope test started in Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in the middle of 2020. After 30 members were identified in the first time, while 10 were fired after the investigation. In the last four years, disciplinary action has been taken against about 65,000 policemen across the country on various charges. Action is being taken against an average 1100 policemen each month.
Police Commissioner Md. Shafiqul Islam gave 19 written instructions to eight crime departments, intelligence departments, traffic departments and police stations of DMP few days ago.
In one of these instructions, it is said that, the robbery spots of the last 3-4 years should be identified and brought under the CCTV coverage. The number of cases should be extracted from the register. Besides, sacked policemen can be brought under surveillance.
Earlier on October 25 in 2021, the police headquarters sent a letter to all the police units saying that complaints made against policemen are settled mainly according to the police law. After receiving a complaint from someone inside or outside, a departmental case is filed against the accused policeman after the preliminary investigation. Then after going through various procedures and stages, the punishment order or the final settlement of the case is made. However, in some cases the investigation officer does not submit the investigation report through the appropriate authorities, causing complications in the handling of departmental cases. For this reason, instructions are given to submit the investigation report (findings) through the appropriate authority after the investigation of the departmental case. Many sacked policemen are also committing various crimes.
On July 14 in 2021, the police arrested 4 robbers with fake DB identity along with weapons and police equipment. A gun, a Chopper, two iron butted knives, DB jacket, 1 toy pistol, a wireless set, a pair of handcuffs along with Tk 1 lakh were seized from them. Under the guise of DB police, they used to set up police check posts on roads in Dhaka and surrounding districts and commit robberies. They admitted during preliminary interrogation that one Aziz was the leader of their party. He is fired from law enforcement and leads their team. Also, among the fake DB gangs in Dhaka, several persons lost their jobs for criminal activities and joined in criminal gangs again.
Dhaka Metropolitan Intelligence Police Gulshan Division DC Md. Moshiur Rahman said, “We have arrested several groups of fake DB. After interrogating the arrested, it was found that some had joined the fake DB group after being fired from the law enforcement agencies. We are working to break this cycle. There is no more fake DB violence in Dhaka like before. This gang has lost its activity due to strict police surveillance. We have continued our drive against fake law enforcers. A few days ago, 6 constables of Chattogram Metropolitan Police were arrested for extortion in the city’s Anwara area. They tried to loot Tk 1.80 lakh from a person. Two of them had earlier been sacked for embezzlement. Dismissed constable Munshi Azmir Hossain of Bolirhat police outpost of Chattogram Metropolitan Police was arrested by the police in front of Daudkandi Toll Plaza in Comilla. During the period, about 14,000 Yaba tablets were seized from his possession. He is currently in jail. Earlier, there was a charge of drug trafficking against him.
In December 2020, 25 bottles of Phensedyl were seized from the personal trunk of Constable Naeem Hussain of Ishwardi Railway Police Station. He had been fired earlier due to various offences. Still, his criminal activities did not stop.
Police sources said, according to the Police Act, there are two categories of punishment (minor and major) against a policeman involved in criminal activities. Penalties include dismissal, demotion, suspension of promotion, suspension of salary increment and cancellation of service privileges. Dismissal if found guilty. There is an appeal against the penalty. Removal from duty for minor irregularities or offenses, commutation from operational units to police lines or ranges. In case of police officers of BCS cadre, action is taken as per Public Service (Discipline and Appeal) Act-2018.
There is a cell in the Public Administration Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into complaints against officers from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and above.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Headquarters Haider Ali Khan said, “An in-depth investigation is carried out immediately after receiving any kind of complaint against any member or officer of the police. Disciplinary measures including dismissal are taken after the investigation proves. Those who are fired, are placed under surveillance.”