The compulsory retirement of 17 senior police officers has raised questions, with colleagues alleging that two female Additional Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) were unfairly included despite having no specific allegations against them.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday issued a gazette notification ordering the compulsory retirement of 17 senior Bangladesh Police officers. The notification was signed by Senior Secretary Manjur Morshed Chowdhury on behalf of the President.
According to police sources, reports published over the past two days mentioned specific allegations against 15 of the retired officers, describing them as supporters of the Awami League. However, the sources claimed no such allegations had been raised against Additional DIG Sultana Nazma Hossain of the Tourist Police and Additional DIG Hasina Rahman of Police Telecom.
Colleagues familiar with the two officers described them as honest and dedicated officers and alleged they may have become victims of colleagues' retaliation.
According to sources, Sultana Nazma Hossain, a member of the 20th BCS police cadre, has a younger brother who was associated with the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD). They claimed he fled to the United States during the Awami League government fearing arrest in politically motivated cases.
Sources further alleged that Nazma Hossain's family has close ties with the family of BNP leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku. They claimed that while serving in the Dhaka Range during the previous government, she was subjected to mental harassment and humiliation by then-DIG Habibur Rahman, received no desirable postings, and was frequently humiliated in front of junior officers. According to the sources, colleagues had told her that her situation would improve if the Awami League left power, but after the party was banned, she instead lost her job.
An officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, described Sultana Nazma Hossain as "very honest" and "a strong personality," adding that flattery was never part of her character. The same source said Hasina Rahman possessed a similar mindset.
Sources also alleged that personal jealousy may have led to the inclusion of the two officers in the retirement list.The report said the officers could not be reached for comment at the time it was published.
Sources further said the government should examine the integrity of those entrusted with preparing the retirement list.
The officers named in the gazette notification include Highway Police DIG Mohammad Abdullahhil Baki, CID Additional DIG Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, Tourist Police Additional DIG Bidhan Tripura, Police Staff College Additional DIG Dr AKM Iqbal Hossain, Bangladesh Police Academy DIG Md Walid Hossain, APBn Additional DIG Saheli Ferdous, CID Additional DIG Rebecca Sultana, Bangladesh Police Academy Additional DIG Mohammad Tabarak Ullah, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Md Habibur Rahman, Police Telecom Additional DIG Hasina Rahman, Police Headquarters Additional DIGs Faisal Mahmud and Kaniz Fatema, Tourist Police Additional DIG Sultana Nazma Hossain, Naval Police Additional DIG Jesmin Begum, TDS Dhaka Superintendent of Police Abdur Rahim Shah Chowdhury, CID DIG Sana Shaminur Rahman, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Joint Commissioner (Additional DIG) Farida Yasmin.
SM/CitizenTimes
