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Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general (media) at the PHQ, said that the increase in arrests is due to police operations returning to full capacity.

“After August 5, we encountered significant challenges, with around 407 police establishments and some 1,000 police vehicles damaged or destroyed. We had to rent vehicles for our operations.”

Enamul said that changes were made in unit chiefs, with new superintendents of police (SP) and commissioners posted to districts and metropolitan areas.

“Initially, they [SPs, commissioners] focused on boosting the morale of the force members. Now, we have resumed our operational activities,” he told The Daily Star.

During the previous Awami League regime, the average daily arrest count nationwide ranged from 500 to 600 people for different offences. In comparison, approximately 1,000 arrests were made each day on average in the first week of this month.

Asked about the increase in arrests, AIG Enamul said, “A significant number of the cases were filed after August 5, and we were unable to carry out many arrest warrants. However, we are now fulfilling those warrants as part of our regular operations.”

CASES AGAINST EX-MINISTERS, MPS

According to sources at the PHQ, a total of 1,174 cases have been filed against 390 former ministers, MPs, advisers to the prime minister, and city corporation mayors from August 6 to September 25.

Among the accused, 59 individuals, including former ministers, state ministers, and advisers to Hasina, have already been arrested.

The former premier herself is facing the highest 220 cases. Her sister, Sheikh Rehana, is implicated in 22 cases, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in 19, daughter Saima Wazed Putul in four, and nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby in one, according to PHQ data.

Among former cabinet members, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan is facing the second-highest total of 199 cases, followed by road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader with 169, foreign minister Hasan Mahmud with 72, and law minister Anisul Huq with 59.

AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak has been accused in 41 cases, while former adviser on private industry and investment Salman F Rahman faces 24.

Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, the former mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, is facing 38 lawsuits, and former Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Md Atiqul Islam has 20 against him.

Other notable figures facing lawsuits include Mohammad A Arafat, former state minister for information and broadcasting, with 54 cases; Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for posts, telecommunications, and IT with 44; and AKM Shamim Osman, former Narayanganj-4 lawmaker, with 41.

Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan have been implicated in 31 and 30 cases respectively. Shahriar Kabir, former president of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, has been accused in nine cases.

Additionally, around 300 cases have been filed against 449 current and former police officials. Of them, 17 individuals, including two former inspectors general of police, have been arrested so far.

Of the lawsuits, 136 were filed against four former IGPs, 182 against 16 former additional IGPs, 25 against four additional IGPs, 23 against six former deputy inspectors general (DIG), 140 against seven serving DIGs, 197 against 26 serving additional DIGs, and 97 against 42 serving SPs.

After the filing of these cases, many police officials have gone into hiding, and some left the country, according to sources in the police force.

Sources claimed that the PHQ early this month instructed the district SPs and metropolitan commissioners to step up vigilance and apprehend those responsible for the July-August violence. They were directed to arrest individuals who used firearms against unarmed students and ordinary people.

“We have been instructed to increase arrests and take legal action against ward-level Awami League leaders and activists,” said an inspector of Khulna Range police.

This newspaper reached out to several police officials for their comments regarding the PHQ directives, but all declined to speak on the record.

A high official of the PHQ, requesting anonymity, informed The Daily Star that superintendents of police have been instructed to expedite the arrests of individuals involved in July-August violence after verifying their involvement.

Tawohidul Haque, an associate professor at the Dhaka University’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research, said that legal action should be pursued against those involved in violence and other criminal activities, provided their involvement is verified.

“However, police should not go for wholesale arrests as it could negatively impact the image of the force,” he added.