Police call off strike in Bangladesh; set to join work today

Dhaka, Aug 12 (PTI) Protesting police officers in Bangladesh have agreed to call off their strike after the interim government assured them to meet most of their demands, according to media reports on Monday.

The Bangladesh Police Subordinate Employees Association (BPSEA) declared the strike on August 6, following clashes across the country between police and students during the widespread protests against Sheikh Hasina’s government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

The clashes led to the fall of Hasina’s Awami League-led government and forced her to flee to India. Many police personnel did not return to work out of fear after the government’s fall, and those who did went to their police stations in plain clothes.

The representatives of the strikes made the announcement of the strike’s withdrawal after a meeting with the interim Home Affairs Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain on Sunday, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

They said the police had been assured that most of the demands on their 11-point list would be met.

Based on the meeting, it was decided that the protesting non-cadre police personnel will return to work from Monday, the bdnews24.com news portal reported.

“After the meeting with the home affairs advisor, we received assurances, and we will wear our uniforms and rejoin work from Monday,” the report quoted Sgt Asaduzzaman Jewel, a member of an investigation committee formed by the Inspector-general of police, as saying.

Interim Home Affairs Adviser Sakhawat said those who ordered excessive force were at the political level, and no wrongdoers would be spared. He added that an investigation would be conducted.

“I personally think there should be a police commission. Police will function under the commission, not under any political party. Political parties misuse the police,” The Daily Star newspaper quoted him as saying.

“Police uniform and logo will be changed at the quickest possible time. Their hearts are heavy with grief. They [police] do not want to go out in this uniform,” he said.

The protesting police officers had sought justice for those responsible for the attacks on police establishments. They also demanded a one-time financial compensation for the families of the deceased officers and transparency in police recruitment, among other things.

On Sunday, Newly-appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Mainul Islam said at least 42 members of the police force were killed and scores injured in recent clashes.

He added that over 500 police personnel were injured and received treatment at the hospital, and more than two dozen police personnel are still undergoing treatment.

Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government last week, taking the death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests first started in mid-July.