Nahid Islam Demands IGP's Removal over 'Crossfire' Remark, Calls for Police Reform

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam has said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir should leave his post quickly over his 'crossfire' remarks. He also demanded reform of the police force.

Speaking at a views-exchange meeting organised by the NCP in Gazipur on Tuesday afternoon, Nahid Islam said: 'We believe it is not just about apologising — the IGP no longer has the right to remain in charge. We have demanded the IGP's removal. He should leave the post within the quickest possible time.'

He added: 'The head of a law-enforcement agency, whose job was to ensure the rule of law, is saying he will carry out crossfire if the government orders it. We did not even see anyone say this so openly during Sheikh Hasina's time. So the police force must certainly be reformed.'

Earlier, on Monday, at a programme in Chakbazar in Old Dhaka, IGP Md Ali Hossain Fakir had said that if the government permits, 'crossfire' would be carried out if needed. It is that statement which has drawn this criticism and the demand for his removal.

The meeting, held at the Gazipur Zila Parishad auditorium, was organised to review the NCP's organisational progress and to draw up central plans for the local government elections. NCP political council member and senior joint member secretary Sarjis Alam, joint convener and political council member Ali Ahsan Junaid, Dhaka North organising secretary Saifullah Haidar, and leaders from Gazipur district and upazila levels were present.

On local government elections, Nahid Islam said BNP leaders are establishing dominance at the grassroots level. If the coming election cannot be held fairly and impartially, the government and the Election Commission will have failed, he said, warning that his side would take to the streets if the election is conducted through partisan capture as under the previous government.

Accusing the government of gradually becoming authoritarian like the Awami League, Nahid Islam said BNP loyalists are being placed in the administration, people who criticise are being sued under the anti-terrorism law, and the administration is being partisanised. Holding an election would be difficult in such a situation, he commented.

At the meeting, the NCP convener criticised the fact that government employees' salaries were raised while garment workers' wages were not. He expressed support for the demand to set garment workers' minimum monthly wage at Tk 30,000.

Later, at around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nahid Islam visited Md Bappi, who was left disabled in the July movement, at Beraiderchala in Gazipur's Sreepur upazila. There he said this government is the fruit of the July mass uprising, and that the election and the government's coming to power were possible because of the sacrifices of thousands of people. He said the government should ensure that the treatment of the injured is not neglected because of administrative or bureaucratic complications.