Can police provide security if they don't feel safe themselves?
We are worried about the law-and-order situation which continues to be in a fluid state after deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on Monday. Even though there have been signs of improvement over the last three days, there is still a sense of fear and disorientation following widespread attacks on Awami League-linked establishments, minority communities, public properties and infrastructure including key symbols of power and nationhood, etc. What's at stake here is not just security, but also the functioning of regular activities and services, which cannot resume in full swing without an interim government.
That it couldn't still be formed, despite the efforts of all involved in the process, speaks to the complications related to such sensitive undertakings. The appointment of Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus as chief adviser of the interim government is reassuring. But we don't know yet for sure other appointees who will work alongside him, or when the government will be sworn in. Yunus will reportedly land in Bangladesh on Thursday afternoon, so things are expected to be fast-tracked after that. But as things stand, the country continues to stagger in a power vacuum.
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The biggest worry in such a vacuum is the state of law and order. With the entire police force still missing from the scene, people are right to worry. Even though army and Ansar forces have stepped up in providing security, it hasn't calmed frayed nerves. According to an estimate, over 450 police stations across the country were destroyed or damaged on Monday alone. Arms and ammunition were looted from many of the stations. Over the last few days, many police officers were killed or injured in such attacks. Clearly, the morale among officers is extremely low. If the police don't feel protected themselves, how can they provide protection to others? With the non-cadre officers staging work abstention, and cadre officers largely in hiding, it may take some time to restore order among the force.
This is bad news. Students who led the movement that brought down the Awami League government are trying to do the best they can to help fill the vacuum. They are managing traffic, guarding at-risk police stations, churches and temples, helping clean up garbage, etc. This is commendable indeed. But it can hardly make up for the services provided by professionals in the police, fire service, customs, and other relevant bodies. In fact, the events of the last few days have had a disruptive effect across all government-linked institutions, leading to major reshuffles in some key institutions. Many long-suppressed issues among public employees are also coming to the fore.
While we hope these will be resolved sooner than later, ensuring the security of citizens is something that cannot wait. We understand that given how entranced corruption was in police force—and how politicised it became—overhauling the force and restoring people's faith in it will not be easy. This is something the incoming administration must work on. But right now, we urge the authorities to step up their efforts to ensure safety. That means further involvement of the military forces in law enforcement activities across the country, especially in risky areas. The police authorities also must do whatever necessary to ensure the safety of officers, put them back on the field, and operationalise all police stations as soon as possible.
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