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The police on Wednesday were not seen performing duties wearing uniforms in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country for the second consecutive day after the fall of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister amid mass uprising. 

Frustration gripped police force as their fellows were killed and injured by mob attack and clashes with protesters where the police members were seen staging demonstrations in many places in the country.

Many police establishments, including the police headquarters and police stations across the country came under attack, and in such situation students were managing traffic systems and guarding police stations and establishments.

The police opened fire indiscriminately that left many people killed, including students and children staying at home, in the  student protest demanding to reform quotas in the government jobs.

Against the backdrop, the newly appointed inspector general of police, Md Mainul Islam, on Wednesday requested all of its personnel to return to duty within next 24 hours amid protests of the low rank police members, demanding the justice into killings of their fellows.

‘All policemen have to report to their respective workplaces by Thursday evening. We are not sitting idle; we are working. Many of us died and were injured during the violence,’ the IGP made the call at a press conference at the headquarters.

He said that the previous police officials concerned could not perform their duties fulfilling the expectations of the people of the country in the logical movement of the Student Movement Against Discrimination.

‘On behalf of Bangladesh police, I am expressing sorrow as police chief,’ he said, adding that he was committed to perform all legal duties.

Mainul claimed that some high ambitious and unprofessional officials did not follow the policy to use of force, violation of human rights and failure in leadership, which led many police officials’ dead and injured. 

He requested police members to self-employed themselves for the sake of the country.

Low rank police members staged demonstrations in several places in the country, including in Rajshahi, Barishal and Feni, demanding justice into killings of their fellows.

Demanding justice to all those responsible senior police officials who used them as a tool to open fire on the protesting students, they said that those responsible must be held accountable and brought under the law.

To press home their demands, police members from the ranks of constable to inspector started demonstrating at the Sarda Police Academy, Rajshahi District Police Lines, and Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Headquarters from Wednesday morning, ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Staff Correspondent in Rajshahi reported.

Several police sub-inspectors and constables, who were staging demonstrations at Rajshahi District Police Lines, told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that they were helpless as the senior police officials used them to gain the latter’s political ambitions.

¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· correspondent in Barishal reported that low rank police officials and constables held a protest rally and procession on the Barishal Police Lines compound on Wednesday for pressing the same demand.

In Feni, Bangladesh Army members recovered police dresses and belongings from bushes in the early hours of Wednesday as police members fled away leaving their dresses after angry mobs set on fire to Feni Model Police Station, ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· correspondent in the district reported, quoting an Army officials at a camp.

Addressing the press conference, the IGP said that they would reform police forces in the days to come, urging all members to refrain from expressing any kind of personal opinions, demands or comment under the banner of the force’s any batches and associations on social media.  

Responding to a question whether they would bring accused police official into justice, he said that they would try their level best to ensure justice following the legal framework.