We expect action, not excuses from police
We are confused by the statement made by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) who has been put in charge of the three-person probe committee to look into the violent clash that took place in Narayanganj on January 16. Precisely what he meant by politics playing a part as there has been no case filed by either side in the mayhem—both photos and videos show ruling party people brandishing weapons in public—is unclear. What has stopped the police from taking suo moto cognisance of the matter?
An entire week has passed by in the absence of any case being filed. Why hasn't the police stepped up and pressed charges? We understand that from a legal point of view, the police can file a case without waiting for anyone to do so. Such a case, if filed, could formally open the door for the law enforcement agency to launch an investigation into what happened on that day.
The clash injured at least 50 people including the city's mayor Selina Hayat Ivy. The probe committee's deadline for submitting its report is today and according to the ADC, there will be a call for an extension to facilitate the investigation. Given the manner in which the police is going about the investigation in the absence of any case, and where the agency itself seems to be unsure how to proceed, we wonder whether the whole incident will be allowed to fade from collective memory through an absence of action. The evidence that the police seeks about who brandished what has been captured on camera. Indeed, this paper has published pictures of individuals waving weapons in public and during the clash. We expect action, and not excuses, from our law enforcers, and statements like "Politics at play" do not inspire much confidence or hope.
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