The Bangladesh police have been used as a bludgeoning force, comparing them to the Lathials who enforced the demands of landowners through force, says Brig Gen M Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser for Home Affairs to the interim government.
He made the remarks while visiting police personnel injured in the recent violence at the Dhaka Central Police Hospital on Monday. The attacks on police are unfortunate, but it is also true that police also played a role, he said.
"Shooting someone dead, scalping someone, cutting off their hands and feet, crushing their heads - no one can do this to another person. Even during war, they shouldn't treat a dead soldier in this way.
That is unfortunate. It is also unfortunate that hundreds of youths have been killed in police fire."
Sakhawat told the media afterwards he was shocked to see modern weaponry in the hands of police.
"Police have been used like a Lathial force," he said. "The police that has been built up and given deadly weapons." The country cannot function without police and this is why there are reports of misdeeds across the country, he said.
"Our society cannot function without police. You can see that we are getting reports of homes being looted every day. Even then, what can we do? We can do nothing but listen. We told the army. They are deployed. The BGB are deployed too. This is not their job. The army cannot do policing job, but they are still doing it."
Bangladesh cannot become a state run according to the whims of one person, he said. Awami League President Sheikh Hasina resigned her premiership and fled the country on August 5.
M Sakhawat Hossain has said media outlets will be shut down if they indulge in flattery.
"The media will be closed, if you indulge in flattery. I promise you if the media is flattering, then the media will be shut down."
"A country is submerged when the media does not speak the truth." he said and added, "I saw what happened in the country through BBC. But our media said nothing on what had happened. If media outlets had reported the truth, police would not face this situation."
"Police can no longer be used for political purposes. Police will operate according to the Police Commission. You give orders to the Police Commission, they (police) will abide by if the orders are good," the Home Affairs Adviser said. He also said those who used and exploited police force must face punishment.
