IGP reveals police were aware of constable Kawsar's mental illness

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, said that the police were aware of constable Kawsar Ali's mental illness before he fatally shot his colleague in Dhaka's Baridhara diplomatic zone on Saturday (June 8).

Abdullah Al-Mamun made this remark while speaking at a programme in capital's Rajarbag Police Line today (June 11).

He said, "We found out about his condition and redeployed him after a doctor confirmed he was fully fit for duty. However, we will be more cautious about his future deployments."

"Bangladesh Police are a professional force, receiving foundational training on stress management from experienced police officers and psychiatrists. Additionally, officers are briefed about their assigned locations, such as DMP or other districts, before their posting," the IGP added.

He said, "In an orientation course, we also brief the police officers about the pattern of stress that they may face during their duty."

Earlier, Kawsar Ali's family reported that he was suffering from a mental illness and had received hospital treatment. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police said that they were not informed of his mental illness.

KH Mahid Uddin, additional commissioner (crime and operations) of the DMP, stated, "We had no knowledge of Kawsar's mental condition as he was fulfilling his duties properly."

The officials said, "The necessary efforts were being made to address the issue following the recent murder incident in Baridhara. An increase in training efforts will be conducted on demand."