Why negligence in police patrols and searches?

The country's law and order situation is already precarious, with incidents of theft, robbery, and mugging on the rise. Recently, it has come to light that the police's patrols and searches exist only on paper, with little practical implementation. According to reports published on Sunday (January 26), police presence on the streets of Dhaka during the night seems as rare as the new moon. While search checkpoints and patrol units are listed on paper, they are scarcely visible on the roads. Meanwhile, residents are living in fear of muggings. This news is concerning for the public.

Reports also revealed that notorious criminals are now roaming the streets openly, involved in thefts, robberies, muggings, and even murders. Further, news published on Sunday highlights the lapses in police patrols and searches. So, who can the public trust in such circumstances? Many are now afraid to venture out on the streets in the evening due to the fear of muggings.

According to information sent to the police headquarters from the eight divisions of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), there are at least 500 to 510 police patrols operating daily in the capital, both day and night. Of these, at least 250 patrol units are active during the night. The patrol teams conduct around 120 checkpoints (day and night) daily, with the majority being carried out during the night.

However, between 11 PM and 2 AM in Dhaka, journalists who visited at least 70 kilometers observed that only one police patrol was visible at a single location (Basabo). In the case of entry into Gulshan, police officers were seen at police boxes near two checkpoints, but they were not stationed at the actual checkpoints on the roads as required. Two police patrol cars were spotted parked in two areas (Gulshan and Mohammadpur), but no police officers were seen near or around those vehicles. Residents from various areas have also mentioned that police presence on Dhaka's streets is notably scarce at night.

In such circumstances, two mugging incidents took place in Dhaka on the night of January 21. At around 11:45 PM in Badda, two individuals were attacked with machetes, and their money and mobile phones were snatched. Earlier, at around 8:45 PM, two people, including a foreign currency exchange dealer, were also attacked and robbed in Gulshan. Additionally, last Thursday, a gold trader in Hazari Bagh was shot and robbed of 70 bhoris of gold and 400,000 taka. In all three incidents, the criminals managed to flee safely.

Who is responsible for these crimes? The police cannot escape responsibility for this negligence, and they must definitely be held accountable. The interim government also needs to answer to the public for this. Since assuming office, the interim government has overseen a worsening law and order situation in the country. Various types of crime continue to rise in society. Now, it has been clearly revealed that the police are negligent in maintaining law and order.

Recently, the interim government finalized the decision to change the uniforms of the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Ansar forces. However, there is no precedent to suggest that simply changing uniforms will increase their sense of responsibility. The failure to conduct night patrols and searches in the capital city is a very serious issue. We demand that the police demonstrate greater responsibility in their patrols and searches. Moreover, those who have shown negligence in such crucial state responsibilities should be held accountable.