4 more police officers dismissed for absence from duty

The list of police officers absent from duty following the recent mass uprising continues to grow, as the government has temporarily dismissed four more officers who went missing without approved leave.

On Sunday (July 13), the Public Security Division (Police-1 Branch) of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued separate notifications announcing the suspensions. According to the orders, the concerned officers have been absent from their posts for an extended period without permission from the authorities.

The four officers suspended are: Md. Rowshanul Haque Saikat, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Tejgaon Division under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP); Md. Touhidul Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police in the Industrial Police; Md. Golam Ruhani, Assistant Commissioner of DMP; and Mofizur Rahman Palash, Assistant Commissioner of the Mirpur Traffic Zone.

The breakdown within the police force reportedly began after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024. Since then, some officers have gone into hiding without reporting to their posts, while others have disappeared without leave. So far, 21 police officers have been suspended for unauthorized absence.

The notification stated that, according to the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, they are being charged with "misconduct" and "absconding." However, during their suspension period, they will be entitled to subsistence allowances as per regulations.