In the wake of the nationwide uprising, police officers across the country have been subject to widespread public ire; and the fear that gripped the force has yet to dissipate.
Following the recent resignation and departure of Sheikh Hasina from the country, and the subsequent lifting of the curfew, no traffic police officers have been observed managing the notorious traffic in the capital city, Dhaka.
Key areas of the capital such as Badda, Rampura, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Paltan, Kakrail, and the Gulistan intersections were notably seen without any traffic police presence on Tuesday (6 August).
Many of the police boxes at major road junctions were found either burnt or vandalised.
At 9am, the signal at Malibagh's Abul Hotel was found bustling with vehicles moving independently, with no traffic police officers in sight to manage the flow.
A similar situation was reported at the typically congested Gulistan signal.
Despite the heavy rush of vehicles before office hours, there were no traffic police officers to manage the situation.
Mustafa, a Pathao rider in the Paltan area, shared his perspective with Bangladesh First, saying, "The traffic police have unjustly fined and harassed us for so long. Today, none are to be seen because they fear for their lives if they come out."
Arif Hossain, a driver for Malancha Paribahan bus in Gulistan, echoed similar sentiments.
"It was impossible to drive on the roads due to the police's wrongful oppression and the bribes we had to pay. Today, with no police presence, we haven’t had to pay any bribes," he said.
