Police officer’s reckless disregard for life

We are left baffled and wondering how strong a sense of impunity a police officer must have had in order to be able to take control of a heavy vehicle and plough through a crowd, leading to fatal injuries. That is what Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Emdadul Haque did last Thursday in the capital's Gulistan. Witness accounts say that ASI Haque forced out the driver of an empty bus—after the latter had had an altercation with another plainclothes policeman—saying it was being seized and would be taken to Paltan police station. Though the DC of Motijheel division DMP claimed that the driver and conductor had fled the scene and the ASI was forced to drive the bus away from traffic, witnesses testified otherwise. Once Haque had control of the vehicle he swerved violently, ploughing into a crowd, and eventually drove into the rail of a footpath. His reckless manoeuvre killed two people, injured three, and damaged multiple motorcycles and rickshaws.

It should be noted that the area in which the incident occurred was not under the jurisdiction of Paltan police station, and that ASI Haque had not informed the concerned DMP Wari division before seizing the bus. Importantly, the ASI was not even supposed to take control of the vehicle, even if it had been abandoned, as the Motijheel DC claims. Several traffic police officers confirmed that he should have called for a tow truck and removed the bus to a safer location. Though the ASI was placed on a two-day remand on Friday, we don't know yet what his plan was when he drove into the crowd. What is clear, however, is the immense sense of power our law enforcers must feel they have, with no regard for the consequences of their actions.

Though this may seem like a one-off event, we believe this is just another exhibit of the callous and, frankly, reckless attitude of some members of law enforcement. We would urge the authorities to investigate this incident. It is also crucial to end the culture of impunity which our law enforcement agencies generally enjoy. Otherwise, we risk becoming a country where citizens have to fear law enforcers, rather than look to them for protection.