In the latest development in the ongoing nationwide police reshuffle ahead of the 13th national elections, 13 deputy commissioners and 50 officers-in-charge (OCs) from different zones of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have been transferred.
The move was confirmed through a directive signed by DMP Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali and issued on Thursday. According to the order, the officials are being transferred “in the best interest of the public”.
The reshuffle follows several earlier rounds of transfers. On 24 November, superintendents of police (SPs) for 64 districts were selected through a lottery at the State Guest House Jamuna. On Monday, 527 OCs were transferred across the country. Most inspectors were reassigned within their respective ranges, although many were posted to other districts.
Several officials at Police Headquarters said the extensive transfers were intended to prevent officers from seeking political favour or providing undue advantage to any party during the election period.
However, despite being conducted through a lottery system, the reshuffle has drawn scrutiny. Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury; Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, special assistant to the chief adviser; and Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam were present during the lottery for SP postings, held at the seminar hall of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Concerns have also emerged regarding the inclusion of inspectors who had taken up new postings only a week or two earlier. Many expressed discomfort at being transferred again before they could properly settle into their stations.
Sources at Police Headquarters said Bangladesh currently has 639 police stations – 527 at the district level and 110 in metropolitan areas. Transfer processes within metropolitan jurisdictions were carried out by the respective commissioners.
