As reported in the 2024 EUAA COI report Bangladesh – Country Focus, the Bangladeshi police force is led by the Inspector General of Police (IGP)188 and is organised into various units based on district, metropolitan area, and specialisation.189 As of early 2024, there were over 200 00 police officers190 but both women191 and minorities were underrepresented.192
The police faced integrity issues and political influence in selection procedures, favouring candidates aligned with the ruling party for recruitment,193 postings and promotions.194 Influential individuals have also been able to impact crime investigations and their outcome.195 Sources reported on the police lacking equipment and training,196 but there were also integrity issues hampering the implementation of those skills that were available within logistics, human resources, and technology.197 Police officers reportedly demanded bribes to file a report,198 and there were cases of police staff being involved in crimes such as robbery,199 drug trade,200 and rape.201 Disciplinary action was rarely taken,202 and irregularities negatively impacted public trust,203 and deterred many from approaching the police.204 Some surveys suggested that the police was perceived as the least trusted205 and most corrupt public institution.206
In the absence of a general victim or witness protection mechanism,207 (except for some provisions for victims and witnesses of trafficking in human beings208) victims, witnesses and their family members have faced threats, harassment and assault by offenders for filing complaints,209 and have refrained from testifying in court fearing for their or their family members’ safety.210 In 2023, Arafat Reza Jaan, research associate at the Centre for Peace and Justice at BRAC University, stated that those living in rural areas were particularly discouraged to seek justice due to fear of reprisals from influential community members.211
- 188
Bangladesh, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Police, 2024, url
- 189
Bangladesh, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Police, 2024, url; Fidh, Out of Control, Human rights and rule of law crises in Bangladesh, url, p. 8
- 190
Dhaka Tribune, Home Minister urges city mayors to ensure traffic police rest, 1 February 2024, url; Daily Star (The), When cops turn part-time robbers, 24 January 2024, url
- 191
BPWN, Journey of BPWN, 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, IGP: Women make up over 8% of police force, 30 November 2022, url
- 192
Zaman, I., Executive Director of TIB, online interview, 5 April 2024
- 193
Zaman, I., Executive Director of TIB, online interview, 5 April 2024; Jackman, D. and Maitrot, M., The Patry-Police Nexus in Bangladesh, the Journal of Development Studies, 5 April 2022, url, pp. 1524–1525
- 194
Zaman, I., Executive Director of TIB, online interview, 5 April 2024; Jabber, M. A. et al., Exploring the roles and challenges of the servant leadership: A critical examination of the Bangladesh police, 2 January 2023, Heliyon, url, p. 7
- 195
Zaman, I., Executive Director of TIB, online interview, 5 April 2024; Daily Star (The), Errant cops: Leniency lends them impunity, 4 October 2022, url
- 196
Jabber, M. A. et al., Exploring the roles and challenges of the servant leadership: A critical examination of the Bangladesh police, 2 January 2023, Heliyon, url, p. 7; Zaman, I., Executive Director of TIB, online interview, 5 April 2024
- 197
Zaman, I., Executive Director of TIB, online interview, 5 April 2024
- 198
Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Atrocity Crimes Risk Assessment Series, Bangladesh, The University of Queensland, April 2023, url, p. 10; Daily Star (The), Errant cops: Leniency lends them impunity, 4 October 2022, url
- 199
Business Standard (The), 5, including 2 suspended policemen, arrested over robbing man at IFIC Bank, 21 September 2023, url; Daily Star (The), When cops turn part-time robbers, 24 January 2024, url
- 200
Prothom Alo, Names of police members in DMP’s list of drug dealers, 19 July 2023, url; Daily Star (The), When cops turn part-time robbers, 24 January 2024, url
- 201
Daily Star (The), When cops turn part-time robbers, 24 January 2024, url; Dhaka Tribune, Khagrachhari police officer sent to jail in rape case, 12 October 2023, url
- 202
Daily Star (The), Errant cops: Leniency lends them impunity, 4 October 2022, url
- 203
Dhaka Tribune, Article 19: Culture of impunity declines confidence in rule of law, 25 August 2022, url
- 204
Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Atrocity Crimes Risk Assessment Series, Bangladesh, The University of Queensland, April 2023, url, p. 10; Dhaka Tribune, President tells police: Do not harass people on streets, 28 February 2024, url
- 205
Asia Foundation (The), The State of Bangladesh's Political Governance, Development and Society: According to Its Citizens, 2023, url, p. 51
- 206
TIB, Law enforcement, passport services among the most corrupt sectors in Bangladesh, 7 September 2022, url
- 207
Daily Star (The), Commission for law to protect victim, witness, 13 February 2025, url
- 208
Bangladesh, Government of Bangladesh and UNODC, First National Study on Trafficking in Persons in Bangladesh, 2022, url, p. 59
- 209
Business Standard (The), Why victim and witness protection mechanism is imperative, 11 February 2024, url
- 210
Daily Star (The), The state of witness protection in Bangladesh, 7 April 2023, url
- 211
Jaan, A. R., What makes access to Justice elusive in Bangladesh?, South Asia @ LSE, 1 May 2023, url