On September 1, a brutal attack on the police took place in Adabor, Dhaka. While attempting to rescue a young man held by miscreants, police members came under heavy assault.
Their vehicles were vandalized, officers were beaten and injured, and one constable was killed in a stabbing attack. This was not an isolated incident—attacks on police by miscreants have been increasing at an alarming rate in recent times.
Conflicts between police and the public are rising over various issues. In post-uprising Bangladesh, this tendency to "take the law into one’s own hands" over trivial matters seems far more likely to increase than decrease.
Following the Adabor incident, several police officials lamented to the media about their growing sense of fear. Statements from officers over time have made it clear that fear is spreading rapidly among the ranks, with many now afraid to patrol the streets.
Against this backdrop, a recent report in The Daily Ittefaq revealed a distressing picture of the police force’s lack of security equipment. The report noted that despite risking their lives day and night to combat crime, the police do not have adequate vehicles. As a result, they are forced to rent lagunas and baby taxis to conduct patrols.
Last year, during the mass uprising, over two thousand police vehicles were vandalized or damaged nationwide, with only a negligible number repaired since. Thus, the piles of unusable vehicles have further deepened the long-standing shortage.
To make matters worse, a Home Ministry proposal to purchase over 200 new vehicles has been stalled due to bureaucratic complications. In a populous country like Bangladesh—grappling with a post-uprising transitional period—such a severe shortage and paralysis within a large police force is deeply concerning.
The police claim that they are currently beset with numerous problems. A lack of vehicles is disrupting citizen services, hindering patrols, and slowing down routine operations.
Even when receiving crime alerts, officers are often unable to reach crime scenes promptly due to dilapidated vehicles. This in turn affects the performance of other units.
Worse still, with a shortage of around 4,500 vehicles, the force must prepare for the upcoming elections. This will inevitably delay response times and undermine field-level operations.
Globally, security is given utmost importance, as national development and stability hinge on it. Yet it is regrettable that those entrusted with safeguarding our security are themselves insecure. Carrying out routine duties with the existing vehicles has become increasingly difficult for police stations.
In particular, the shortage of motorcycles and double-cabin pickups has severely hampered patrol duties. Combating crime in rural and remote areas has become more complex and challenging. In such circumstances, how can the police be expected to provide security to the public?
At a time when crime rates are rising nationwide, officers are forced to rely on rented lagunas and baby taxis. Such makeshift arrangements can never ensure public safety. Moreover, the quality of the vehicles typically supplied to law enforcement is already questionable, raising further concerns in the current context.
While police forces in other countries are becoming increasingly modernized, Bangladesh has failed to provide its officers with modern, quality security equipment—an unfortunate reality.
Every society longs for an environment free of fear, where people can move freely, alongside broader national stability. This vital responsibility of ensuring safety lies with law enforcement agencies.
A shortage of essential security equipment in such agencies is entirely unacceptable. Therefore, urgent and effective measures must be taken—not only to address the police force’s crisis but also to ensure the security of vehicles and resources across all national security agencies.