PRC suggests fair trail of policemen accused of killings during uprising

The Police Reform Commission (PRC) has suggested the policemen and officers accused of killing and injuring students and others during the July-August Mass Uprising to establish rule of law in the country.

“It is necessary to expose the police officers responsible and their instructors to justice not only to establish the rule of law, but also to build a positive mindset towards police and revive public confidence in the force,” the final PRC report read.

It said if the police personnel responsible for the brutality were not exposed to justice, it would legitimize misuse of power, paving ways for a more repressive system.

But the commission expected for them a “fair trial” ahead of punishing them for their role during the uprising, creating resentment and distrust among the people against the police force.

“It (fair trial) will create the culture of responsibility and accountability among the policemen and simultaneously give a message to the people that the state is committed to ensure protection of its citizens and prevent injustice,” the report said.

The PRC said the fair trial would help police becoming a people-friendly force in true sense.

But the commission said it could not negate an idea that the brutal police actions during the uprising “will have a long term effect on the police-people relations”.

More than 50 police personnel including former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun are now facing trial on charges of committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the uprising.

Others facing the identical charges included former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former additional inspector general and chief of Special Branch (SB) Monirul Islam and former Detective Branch (DB) chief Hartun-ur-Rashid.

Of them, only Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun was in jail to stand trial in person until last week but police raids earlier this week netted five fugitive former police officers.

They are Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Molla Nazrul Islam and former police superintendents (SPs) Asaduzzaman, Abdul Mannan, Abul Hasnat and Shahadat in multiple cases linked to August-July uprising.

The others are on the run.