Awami League flags police accountability crisis in Bangladesh
The party raised concerns regarding extortion, narcotics theft, and deaths in custody under the Tarique Rahman-led government.
The Awami League has raised concerns over a pattern of police misconduct in Bangladesh, including extortion, narcotics theft, and deaths in custody, according to The Hawk. The party stated that these issues indicate a deepening crisis of accountability under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) administration led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The party questioned whether the government would insist on independent investigations and visible accountability. It noted that eight months into the Tarique Rahman administration, the evidence suggests the test of ensuring political authority does not become a licence for abuse is being failed.
The Awami League alleged that corruption reaches senior ranks of the police force. It cited a recent Detective Branch (DB) raid on a luxury triplex in Dhaka's Purbachal, which was owned by Additional DIG Abdullah Al Zahir of the Police Headquarters' Repair and Maintenance Department.
The party stated that the raid led to the arrest of 85 people at a high-end drug den allegedly protected by a top officer. While DIG Zahir was removed from his post following public outrage, the Awami League said the incident showed how criminal networks can operate inside the state.
The Awami League questioned what measures the government would take to ensure custodial safety and prevent torture or fabricated charges. It also called for transparent investigations into allegations of drug theft by police personnel.
