Police will resort to ‘crossfire’ if situation and govt permit it: IGP

Police will not hesitate to apply the “crossfire” against criminals whenever it is necessary, if the government permits it, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fair on Monday.

He made the remark while inaugurating the “Community Islamic,” the Shariah-based banking unit of Community Bank Bangladesh PLC, at an event held in Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka.

Ali Hossain Fakir, in his capacity as the IGP, also serves as the chairman of Community Bank Bangladesh.

Speaking at the programme, Ali Hossain Fakir said that some people alleged that the police is a “fascist force” if personnel apply force to maintain law and order. On the flip side, if police resort to non-violent approach to satisfy public expectations, people label the force as “weak.”

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The police cannot function effectively and help maintain law and order amid such confusing and conflicting signals from different quarters, he suggested.

The general people and others must give the police adequate support to function properly and ensure law and order, he said.

If the police need to charge batons, they would do it. If the situation warrants a “cross-fire” like scenario, police, with government’s permission, will not hesitate to resort to such move, he added.

Police must be allowed to function freely according to the law and constitution. Police has no business with people, who threaten to come to the country from a self-enforced exile, he said, police only deals with law and constitution enforcement.

Referring to unverified threats from different quarters against the application of force by police, the IGP urged people to avoid “blackmailing” the police, warning that such moves would invariably lead people to “blackmailing themselves.”

A powerless and frightened police cannot ensure security for the nation, and runs contrary to people’s expectations, he suggested.

After the widespread attacks on police in the July-August 2024 uprising, policemen were too scared to even man the streets on security patrols, leading to a sharp deterioration in the country’s crime statistics, Ali Hossain Fakir said.

He and other police officials now have to work tirelessly day and night to recover from that situation, the IGP said in an open address to the people.