A group of former police members, dismissed from their jobs during the ousted Awami League regime, and their families held a sit-in in front of the Shiksha Bhaban in Dhaka on Thursday, demanding the reinstatement of their jobs with all benefits restored.
They gathered in front of the headquarters of police in the morning and marched towards the secretariat.
The police barred them with barricades when they reached at the Shiksha Bhaban at about 11:30am where they held sit-in programme till around 3:00pm.
Later, a delegation of five protesters went inside the secretariat to meet the home adviser with their demands but they could not meet him as he was not present at the office.
鈥榃e gathered outside the Osmani Udyan in front of the police headquarters. From there, we peacefully marched towards the secretariat,鈥� said Saddam Hossain, one of the sacked police officials, adding that as police barred the procession, they held the sit-in programme in front of the Shikkha Bhaban.
鈥楢s it is holidays on Friday and Saturday, we will not hold any programmes for two days. We will resume our movement on Sunday,鈥� he added.
The former police official also said that they would try to press their demands to law adviser, home adviser and local government and youth and sports adviser on Sunday.
According to a written statement, about 2,200 police constables and officers were sacked on different allegations, including family issues, remaining absent from duties, Facebook posts against the AL government and conflicts with the AL leaders and activists.
They alleged that they were 鈥榰njustly dismissed鈥� during the AL government, leaving many lower-ranking officers fearing for their jobs.
鈥業f authorities investigate our situation, corruption and other things, nothing will be found,鈥� said another sacked police member Mahbub Talukdar.聽
Dhaka Metropolitan Police additional deputy commissioner for Ramna zone Mir Asaduzzaman said that they were barred as meeting, rally, procession and protest were banned in the secretariat area.
鈥榃e closed both side of the roads with barricades in front of Shiksha Bhaban but we later cleared one side. The traffic movement was normal during their procession,鈥� he mentioned.