Another major reshuffle in police

As part of another major reshuffle in the police service, 64 officers, from the ranks of deputy inspector general (DIG) to the superintendent of police (SP), have been transferred and attached to different police units across the country.
According to two separate notifications issued by the home ministry yesterday, 48 officials have been transferred to different police units, while 16 have been transferred but have not been assigned duty.
Being transferred and attached to different police units without any assigned duty means being made Officers on Special Duty (OSD), according to insiders.
The DIG of Police Staff College, Nazmur Karim Khan, has been made the commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP), according to the ministry notification signed by Abu Sayed, deputy secretary of the home ministry.
Earlier on October 24, the former GMP commissioner, Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, was promoted to the post of additional IGP and made the chief of the Special Branch of police. Since then, the post remained vacant.
Meanwhile, the other 47 officials were transferred to different police units like Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Special Branch, in-service training centre, tourist police, and Criminal Investigation Department.
In a separate ministry notification, also signed by Deputy Secretary Abu Sayed, one DIG, six additional DIGs, and nine SPs have been attached to different offices.
An SP rank officer, attached to a range DIG’s office in Chattogram, said, wishing to remain unnamed, “I was neither involved in crimes, nor are there any allegations against me, but still I have been made OSD. This is all because I was posted as an SP during the last government tenure.”
The police service has seen a lot of transfers and changes since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 following a mass uprising.
At least 400 police personnel have been transferred, while 100 others, attached to different police units, were on duty at major police units like the DMP. All the posts of divisional range DIGs, metropolitan commissioners, and district SPs now have new faces.
The role of the police during the mass uprising that led to the fall of the AL government faced public outrage as officers used excessive force to suppress the protests. Many police personnel opened fire on protesters, killing hundreds and maiming many others.
In the 15 years of Awami League rule, many police officers acted as though they were activists of the party to get desired posts and promotions.
They were also known to have used excessive force on the opposition and dissenters.