The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Md Ali Hossain Fakir, has said police could resort to ‘crossfire’ to maintain law and order if the government authorised the practice, raising fresh questions about the use of lethal force and the protection of human rights in law enforcement.
“Where crossfire is necessary, if the government allows it, we will do it,” he said on Monday.
The police chief made the remarks at a programme in Chawkbazar in Dhaka marking the launch of a bank’s Islamic banking services.
Before making the statement, Ali Hossain urged the public to allow police to perform their duties in accordance with the law and the Constitution.
Expressing frustration over criticism of the force, he said police faced public condemnation both when they used force and when they refrained from acting.
“If we use batons, you call us fascist police. If we remain silent, you call us weak.
You have to provide us with a working environment and empower us,” he said, addressing journalists.
The IGP said the armed forces were responsible for defending the country and safeguarding its sovereignty, while maintaining internal peace and order required cooperation between police and the public.
He urged people not to take the law into their own hands, stressing that both citizens and law enforcement personnel must abide by the law and the Constitution.
Ali Hossain also claimed that police had not violated human rights or used unnecessary force.
Referring to the period following the July uprising, he said police personnel had been afraid to perform their duties on the streets.
His remarks on the possible use of ‘crossfire’ come amid continued public scrutiny of police conduct, the use of force and accountability in law enforcement.
Any use of lethal force, however, must comply with applicable law and human rights obligations.