Bangladesh Police, the primary disciplinary force of the country, are struggling to function as its chain of command breaks down, leaving officers unsure, crime rising, and public trust falling ahead of the February election.
Controversy continues to trail the force as deteriorating law and order, frequent mob violence and mounting allegations of political bias expose a deep crisis of discipline and direction. Murder, extortion, robbery, theft, rape and smuggling have all increased this year. Officers say fear of attacks during operations and confusion over authority have pushed many to “avoid risks”.
Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, experts and former police chiefs warn that the collapse of the chain of command within the force has deeply eroded discipline and authority across the force. They say officers are hesitant to act, unsure whose orders to follow, while superiors struggle to maintain control.
This breakdown, they argue, has fuelled delays in response, poor investigations, and a rise in politicisation within the ranks. According to analysts, factionalism and mistrust have replaced coordination, while public confidence has plunged.
“Without firm leadership and respect for hierarchy, the police cannot restore order or regain credibility,” one former inspector general of police said.
Experts also say that until political neutrality and accountability are restored, country’s police will remain paralysed—a force adrift in uncertainty, struggling to enforce the very law it was created to uphold.
Growing insecurity and loss of control
Government data show 462 attacks on police in the first nine months of the year—38 in January, 37 in February, 96 in March, 52 in April, 62 in May, 44 in June, 39 in July, 51 in August and 43 in September. At least 368 incidents occurred in the first seven months alone.
Mob violence is also worsening. Thirty-eight incidents of vigilante beatings were reported in August compared with 51 in July. Twenty-three people were killed and 43 seriously injured in August attacks; 16 were killed the month before. In the same period, police logged 2,216 murders, 426 dacoities, 625 abductions, 5,387 thefts and 10,109 smuggling cases nationwide.
Ain o Salish Kendra recorded 492 rapes between January and July. Odhikar reported 29 extrajudicial killings, 61 custodial deaths, 165 journalist assaults, 6,390 casualties in political violence, 488 rapes, and 108 lynching deaths over the past year.
Despite this, insiders admit that officers at different ranks are reluctant to act decisively. “Field police are unsure whose command to follow,” said one mid-ranking officer. “Those seen as loyal to one political side don’t take orders from the other.”
Political loyalties split the force
Since the fall of the Awami League government in the mass uprising of July–August 2024, senior officials linked to the previous ruling party have been sidelined. Those sympathetic to BNP or Jamaat-e-Islami now dominate key positions.
“The problem is that people loyal to one party will not listen to another,” one officer said. “The interim government seems too weak to enforce its authority.” At field level, many who once aligned with the Awami League have become inactive, worsening paralysis across stations and units.
A senior DIG-rank officer in Dhaka Metropolitan Police was recently transferred for disregarding superiors. An officer-in-charge of a police station in the capital was removed after repeatedly ignoring orders, officials said. Frustration over stalled promotions and politically motivated transfers has left many officers demoralised and withdrawn.
Officials admit coordination failure
Inspector General Baharul Alam insisted the situation was improving, saying the force is “more active than before” and officers are “trying to curb all forms of crime.” Training for election duties is under way, he said. About 150,000 police personnel are expected to be deployed during the 13th parliamentary polls.
But independent observers disagree. Towhidul Haque, a social welfare associate professor at Dhaka University and criminologist, said poor coordination, mutual distrust between ranks and hesitation to act against politically connected offenders have paralysed the force. “Issuing statements instead of ensuring exemplary punishment has weakened police morale while emboldening criminals,” he noted.
Fear on the front line
In recent months, officers have faced violent resistance during raids. On 24 October, police were attacked while raiding a gambling den in Naogaon. On 5 October, an additional superintendent was injured in an anti-extortion drive in Narsingdi. Two days later, assailants in Bogura’s Shibganj snatched an accused from custody after attacking police. On the same day in Sylhet’s Companyganj, truck workers assaulted officers at a checkpoint, and on 3 September in Dhaka’s Adabor area, a teenage gang attacked police responding to a 999 emergency call, injuring a constable and damaging a van.
Former chiefs blame politicisation and weak leadership
Referring to brutal crackdown during the July-August uprising, former Inspector General of Police Nurul Huda said that since 1947, never before have so many people been killed or injured in police action at the same time.
“Since 2008, the police have been under the influence of the ruling party. The main concern among unit heads was whose person someone was. Because of such politicisation, they were no longer public servants, which created public resentment,” he said.
He added that many still want to operate based on political identity. Pointing out that there are some problems regarding whose command to follow, he said it can be hoped that the “rule of law” will return after the upcoming election.
Three more former IGPs echoed the sentiment of Huda and placed great emphasis on depoliticization of the force.
