Bangladesh cops gradually resume duty after new chief's directive

Policemen in Bangladesh were slowly returning to work from Thursday in response to the call by the newly-appointed chief, the official media reported, amidst the political turmoil and street violence in the country.

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on Monday due to student-led protests, several police stations were attacked and set on fire, leading to many officers evacuating their stations due to the threat of more attacks.

More than 400 people, including police personnel, were killed in the violence centring the students' movement.

On Wednesday, the newly-appointed inspector general of police, Mohammed Mainul Islam, ordered officers to join their respective units within the next 24 hours.

People from all walks of life, including different political parties leaders and students, are extending all-out necessary support to the returnee police personnel so they can come to their workplaces safely, according to a press release issued by police headquarters on Thursday.

The policemen are returning to their working places from Thursday responding to the call of the newly-appointed IGP, the BSS news agency reported citing the release.

Meanwhile, quoting witnesses, The Daily Star newspaper reported that some police personnel in plainclothes were arriving at Rajarbagh Police Lines, signed in the attendance registers.

However, they are not going to their respective workplaces, such as police stations, due to security concerns.

Addressing a press briefing at the police headquarters on Thursday, IGP Islam said some unprofessional officers did not follow the accepted principles of applying force and violated human rights.

"It is because of them [unprofessional officials] that this ongoing violence and casualties have occurred," he was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper.

Many police officials have been injured, killed, and tortured because of some unprofessional and overly ambitious officials, he said.

Islam assured that every murder would be properly investigated.