Police Inspector General Ali Hossain Fakir has described the widespread media coverage of incidents involving missing children as part of what he believes is a conspiracy. He made the remarks on Saturday morning while taking part in a tree-planting and cleanliness programme at the Police Lines School in Rajarbagh.
Speaking to reporters at the event, the IGP said cases involving missing children were not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh, but argued that the current level of publicity surrounding such incidents was unusual and potentially linked to attempts to create public concern.
“Cases of missing children existed in the past as well, but the way these incidents are now being widely publicised in the media is a conspiracy,” he said. According to the IGP, police have so far been able to trace 87 per cent of the children reported missing.
The figure comes amid heightened public sensitivity over reports of missing children. Such incidents can quickly attract attention, particularly when details are circulated widely through news reports and social media. Police investigations generally involve collecting information from families, checking possible locations, examining available evidence and coordinating with relevant units when a child cannot be immediately located.
The IGP also raised concerns about misconduct within the police force. He claimed that fewer than one per cent of Bangladesh Police personnel were dishonest, adding that some of those officers were allegedly involved in conspiracies against the government. He said the authorities had identified such personnel.
Fakir also accused a section of journalists and content creators of spreading what he described as fabricated and baseless information against the government. His comments reflect growing official concern over the circulation of unverified claims through digital platforms, where information about crime and missing persons can spread rapidly before investigators have established the facts.
Earlier, while attending another tree-planting programme at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, the IGP spoke about police operations against drugs and snatching. He said law-enforcement agencies had conducted repeated drives against people allegedly involved in such offences and had brought many suspects under the law.
However, he said the effectiveness of these operations was being undermined by shortcomings in the legal process. According to him, drug dealers and alleged snatchers arrested during police operations often could not be kept in custody for long because of loopholes in existing laws.
The remarks highlight two separate challenges facing law enforcement: responding effectively to public concerns over missing children and tackling repeat offenders involved in street crime and the illegal drug trade. While police intervention remains central to both issues, the handling of information and the subsequent legal process also play a significant role in determining public confidence in law enforcement.
The IGP’s comments are likely to fuel further discussion about how missing-child cases should be reported, how unverified claims should be handled online, and whether existing laws provide sufficient scope to deal with repeat offenders.
