TDS Desk:

The police stations that came under arson attacks during the mass uprising, which led to the fall of autocrat Sheikh Hasina on 5 August, are struggling to resume operations in full swing because of the lack of essential equipment and supplies.

These police stations are failing to provide desired services to people due to the shortage of firearms, logistics, internet service and uniforms among other things.

Police spokesperson Enamul Haque Sagor that they are addressing the problems on a priority basis.

Adabor Police Station under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) came under attack on 5 August when about 400 firearms, including 20 new pistols, five air conditioners, around 30 computers and laptops, all ceiling fans, doors and other valuables were looted.

After the looting, the vandals set the six-storey police station building ablaze, burning case dockets, important devices and the remaining things.

The fire also burned down four vehicles, 20 motorcycles of policemen, and around 30 seized vehicles and motorcycles parked on the road in front of the police station.

Several days after the attack, the police station started activities with 116 policemen in the burned station, but the policemen are apparently failing to provide policing services fully due to a lack of firearms and ammunition and the absence of logistics and internet service.

Mahfuz Imtiaz Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station, told that they have so been able to recover about 370 looted firearms but the remaining 70, including the 20 pistols, remained traceless. “Now, we’re carrying out our activities manually. We urgently need the internet service and other logistics.”

About the arson attackers and looters, he suspected that criminals might have a link with arms traders and might have sold the looted things.

On 5 August, Vatara Police Station was also set on fire. Its OC Mazharul Islam told that many of their firearms and ammunition were looted and most of them could not be recovered yet.

He said they have just begun operations in the burned building with no logistic support.

The OC said they arranged some vehicles from other police stations and they are somehow carrying out activities with those.

Similarly, Uttara East Police Station was looted and torched. Its OC Habibur Rahman said they could just sit on some chairs and benches in the police station. Damaged rooms are being repaired.

All the case documents were destroyed by the fire, he said.

Among the six police stations under the DMP Uttara Crime Division, Uttara East Police Station was set on fire during the mass uprising.

When contacted, Rawnak Jahan, deputy commissioner of the division, told that the firearms and bullets were looted from the police station, but most of those could not be recovered yet.

According to the Police Headquarters, about 450 police stations across the country came under attack during the mass upsurge.