Attacks on police officers are increasing across Bangladesh, with at least 361 members of the force injured while carrying out their duties during the first seven months of this year, according to figures from the Police Headquarters.
Officers have come under attack in a range of situations, including attempts to arrest accused criminals, operations against drug dealers and suspected terrorists, efforts to apprehend robbers and clashes involving local groups. In several incidents, attackers have also forcibly freed suspects from police custody.
The latest serious incident occurred in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, where Sub-Inspector Altaf Hossain of the Special Branch was killed after being repeatedly assaulted by alleged criminals.
Police Headquarters data show that 82 officers were injured in attacks during January and February combined. A further 63 were injured in March, 66 in April, 55 in May, 51 in June and 42 in July.
The figures from the previous year indicate that the problem is not new. A total of 601 police officers were injured in attacks while performing their duties over the year. Monthly figures recorded 38 injuries in January, 37 in February, 96 in March, 52 in April, 62 in May, 44 in June, 39 in July, 51 in August, 43 in September, 69 in October, 41 in November and 41 in December.
Concerns over police morale
The killing of Sub-Inspector Altaf Hossain in Savar has drawn condemnation from both the Bangladesh Police Association and the Bangladesh Police Service Association.
Police Association president Inspector Kamrul Islam Talukdar said there were allegations that a group was deliberately attempting to undermine the morale of uniformed officers by obstructing them in the performance of their professional duties and physically assaulting them.
He said those attacking police officers would be brought under the law and face the highest possible punishment. He also stressed that police work for public welfare and called on citizens to co-operate when officers face obstruction while carrying out their responsibilities.
The concern extends beyond individual attacks. Repeated assaults on officers can affect the ability of police teams to conduct arrests and operations, particularly when they are dealing with organised criminals, drug dealers or violent groups.
Criminals and extremists among attackers
According to the report, attacks on police have increased in the changing circumstances since 2024, with Dhaka recording the highest number of incidents. Officers have faced attacks from alleged robbers as well as extremist elements.
On 21 February, a police checkpoint in the Kutubkhali Pocket Gate area of Jatrabari came under attack during a routine search operation. A police constable was stabbed and the attackers detonated crude explosive devices before fleeing. Police later recovered five such devices and a bag containing bomb-making materials from the scene. An investigation by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism unit reportedly found links to members of the extremist organisation Neo-JMB.
In May, a team from Dhanmondi police was attacked while attempting to arrest suspected robbers in Mohammadpur. Police opened fire during the incident, leaving one suspected robber injured. Earlier, three police officers, including the officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station, Nazrul Islam, had also been injured in an attack.
In March, Siddiqur Rahman, an inspector of the Department of Narcotics Control, was shot while conducting an anti-drug operation near the railway line in Sayedabad, Jatrabari.
Attacks spread beyond Dhaka
The violence is not confined to the capital. Police officers in several districts have also been attacked during operations.
In Chattogram, officers attempting to arrest listed top criminal Waqil Hossain Boga at Wireless Mor came under attack. At least six police members, including Khulshi Police Station officer-in-charge Abdur Rahim, were injured by stones and crude explosive devices thrown by the attackers.
In Patuakhali’s Laukathi area, police constable Shahidul Islam suffered serious injuries while attempting to control a clash between two groups. He was reportedly struck with a machete and beaten with iron rods.
Police have also faced attacks from juvenile gangs. During an anti-drug operation in Rayerbazar, Mohammadpur, four police officers, including three sub-inspectors, were seriously injured in an attack. The injured officers were identified as Afzalur Rashid, Jasim Uddin, Khorshed Alam and Sohel.
Suspects being freed from police custody
In several cases, attacks have been accompanied by attempts to free accused criminals from police custody.
On the night of 2 September, police arrested Asir Mia, an accused in several cases, in the Damodardip area of Shantiganj, Sunamganj. While officers were taking him away in handcuffs, relatives and associates allegedly attacked the police and managed to free him. After escaping, Asir Mia reportedly appeared in a live broadcast on his Facebook account while still wearing handcuffs.
The following day, a joint operation by the Sunamganj District Detective Police and Sadar Police recovered and arrested him from a restaurant in the town.
A similar incident occurred in the char areas of Narsingdi in July. Police had arrested Selim Munsi, an accused in three cases including a murder case, but a group of around 40 to 50 local people armed with sticks and throwing bricks attacked the officers while he was being taken to the police station and freed him.
Earlier in the year, police officers in Mymensingh and Bagerhat were also injured in attacks during attempts to free handcuffed suspects. Reports of attacks have additionally emerged from districts including Munshiganj, Faridpur, Jashore and Moulvibazar.
Experts warn of wider consequences
The growing number of attacks has raised concerns about law enforcement and public confidence in the justice system.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Nasir Uddin Samrat said that if police officers responsible for enforcing the law become regular targets of attacks, maintaining public order will become increasingly difficult. He called for senior police authorities to take swift measures to bring the situation under control.
He also pointed to attacks allegedly involving political activists, robbers, fugitives and drug dealers, arguing that police need public support to perform their duties effectively.
Rezaul Karim Sohag, chairman of the Department of Criminology at the University of Dhaka, said ensuring punishment for offenders is a key element of crime prevention. If offenders repeatedly avoid accountability, he argued, similar crimes can continue to occur.
He warned that repeated attacks on police could weaken public confidence in the justice system while also creating a perception among criminals that they can act with greater impunity. According to him, regardless of who commits an offence, effective legal action and punishment are necessary to maintain confidence in the justice process.
Former Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam also linked the situation to what he described as a culture of impunity. He argued that police must be allowed to perform their duties within the law and questioned how public order could be maintained if officers were prevented from carrying out their responsibilities.
He recalled an earlier incident in Narsingdi in which an additional superintendent of police was assaulted during his tenure as inspector general, saying he had been unable to ensure justice in that case.
Police seek to rebuild confidence
Police officials say the force is attempting to recover its confidence and effectiveness amid the changing security environment.
Additional Superintendent of Police Ziaul Haque said officers involved in operations against drug dealers and other criminals may become more cautious if they repeatedly face attacks while attempting arrests. He stressed that bringing criminals before the law ultimately benefits ordinary citizens and that police cannot improve the security situation if they are unable to carry out operations.
He also emphasised that police and the public should not be viewed as opposing sides, calling for greater co-operation from citizens.
Additional Deputy Inspector General Shihab Kaisar Khan said police work would become extremely difficult without public support. Referring to the Savar incident, he said the officer had identified himself before being attacked and killed, while his son, who reportedly attempted to protect him, was also left critically injured.
According to Khan, police are trying to rebuild themselves following the changes in the country’s circumstances. Officers and members at different levels are being encouraged to regain confidence while continuing efforts to control crime and maintain public order.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said last month that efforts were under way to modernise law enforcement agencies, strengthen the morale of their members and encourage them to work as servants of the public. At an event outside the BNP central office in Nayapaltan on 26 August, he said the morale of police and other law enforcement personnel had improved over the previous six months and that members were again working with greater strength against crime.
He also pledged to make Bangladesh Police a more public-friendly and effective force, while referring to proposed changes to the legal frameworks governing law enforcement agencies and measures aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency.
The rise in attacks has therefore placed two issues side by side: ensuring that police can carry out lawful operations without intimidation, and maintaining accountability and transparency in law enforcement. Both are central to restoring public confidence and sustaining effective control of crime.
