The near absence of law enforcement agencies in the capital amid killings, arson attacks and mass looting of key establishments following Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 fall on Monday has sparked widespread fear among residents.
On Tuesday, during visits to different areas from 9:00am to 4:00pm, hardly any law enforcers were seen on duty in Farmgate, Green Road, Bijoy Sarani, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, and Shahbagh, among other city parts.
Meanwhile, in the absence of the traffic police, students and ordinary people were observed managing traffic movement in several areas, including Agargaon, Karwanbazar, Bijoy Sarani intersection, Bangla Motor and Mirpur-2.聽
They were also seen taking position at key establishments, including the National Parliament building and the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32, in an effort to protect valuable items from looting.聽
Following the resignation of Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina as prime minister amid mass protests led by students, hundreds of people entered her official residence Ganabhaban, Prime Minister鈥檚 Office and the Sangsad Bhaban on Monday, celebrating the end of her regime.
Many protesters were seen coming out of Ganabhaban and Parliament building with valuable items, including televisions, chairs, blankets, ducks, buckets, fish and meat.
Many establishments, including Awami League offices, police stations, temples and statues of personalities, including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, were also vandalised, attacked or set on fire.聽
鈥業 am not feeling secure as news of murders, looting and arson across the country have been published. Given the gravity of the situation, I did not see any law enforcers while traveling from Saydabad to Bangla Motor about 3:00pm,鈥� said Minhaj Mahmud, a private jobholder.聽聽
Several other residents also echoed the anxiety expressed by Ohee, a student, who said, 鈥業 understand that the police might be fearful due to their role in the quota reform protests, but I do not understand why there is no presence of the army personnel.鈥�
A visit to the parliament area between 11:00am and 1:00pm found a few members of the Bangladesh Army inside the National Parliament building Sangsad Bhaban, who did not allow the people flocking outside to enter. But hundreds of people, many with their families, were seen entering unrestricted into the other buildings on its premises. Some army personnel were also seen in front of the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office, where people were seen gathering outside the front gate.聽聽
Md Tanvir Hasan, deputy sergeant at arms (admin), stationed at the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat, said on Tuesday, 鈥榃e are trying to prevent people from entering the National Parliament building. Many valuable items were looted amid widespread vandalism. We have yet to estimate the extent of the damage.鈥�
Praising the sense of responsibility among several students, he said that they had returned around 30 weapons, which mobs had seized from the security personnel of Sangsad Bhaban on Monday.
He hoped to take full control of the parliament building by the evening.
On Tuesday, between 2:30pm and 3:00pm, in the absence of law enforcers, people were seen removing iron rods, broken windows and other debris from the buildings of the outlet of apparel brand Yellow and the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre at Dhanmondi-2, and from the Awami League party office at Dhanmondi-3, all of which were set on fire on Monday.
