In times of familial or social crises, people often turn to police stations for legal assistance. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) stations, once bustling with officers serving the public day and night, now stand helpless as victims of violent protests. Rooms that used to house important documents and police equipment are now lifeless, scattered with papers, uniforms, weapons, and ammunition.
On Tuesday (6 August), from 10am to 12:30pm, visits to Mohammadpur, Adabor, and Mirpur police stations revealed scenes of devastation.
At Mohammadpur Police Station, every vehicle from the front road to inside the compound was vandalised and burnt. The station gate was broken. A young man named Ruhul Amin, an employee at a fish market, was seen with a stick, trying to protect the station’s belongings from looters.
“I’m trying to save as much as I can since people are taking away various parts of the cars,” Ruhul Amin explained.
Inside the station, burnt papers still emitted smoke. The rooms of the Officer-in-Charge (OC), inspectors, and duty officers were in disarray. Important documents were scattered everywhere, and the armory was ransacked. Around 10:15am, several vehicles arrived, and an army unit was seen removing old weapons from the armory to a safe location.
Speaking with some soldiers, it was learned that most of the weapons and ammunition had been taken away the previous night, with the remainder being moved in the morning.
The record room on the second floor was in chaos. A police officer, who wished to remain unnamed, was seen searching for urgent items, including his missing ID card.
At Adabor Police Station, located less than two kilometers from Mohammadpur, blood stains marked the stairs. Vehicles in front of the station were burnt to ashes, and looters were attempting to dismantle parts from them. Blood was also smeared on the walls and had dried up. The collapsible gate at the entrance was locked, and crucial documents were scattered inside.
In Mirpur, at Mirpur Model Police Station, a crowd of various ages gathered in front, with some protesting. As the protest began, army personnel left in vehicles, after which people tried to enter the station. However, a few young men stood guard and allowed this reporter to enter after confirming credentials. A notice on plain paper at the station's entrance warned that the building was dangerous and prohibited entry. Three vehicles and an APC were burnt to ashes at the gate. Inside, a fridge lay fallen, and each room on the ground floor was filled with ashes. The second floor was still ablaze, and the stairs leading up were extremely hazardous. At least 25 vehicles were burnt to ashes behind the station.
Residents of nearby buildings reported that the fire, which was set in the evening, burned throughout the night.
According to the Bangladesh Police Subordinate Staff Association, at least 400 police stations across the country have been attacked, resulting in numerous police casualties.
