Assistant Sub-inspector Farida Khanam Tagor receiving an award from Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque. Twenty five policemen were presented Tk 5.5 lakh for recently nabbing arsonists red-handed. Photo: Star

Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque yesterday said the force was investigating the allegations that its personnel were arresting people and releasing them after taking money.

He made the remarks replying to a query at a programme at the Police Headquarters in the capital where about 25 police personnel were rewarded with Tk 5.5 lakh for nabbing “arsonists and bomb throwers red-handed” during the ongoing blockade.

The police chief said most of the arrested arsonists turned out to be activists of the BNP-Jamaat or persons hired by such activists.

He claimed that the country's law and order situation was getting back to normal. “Vehicular movement has increased countrywide. Normalcy is returning to life in Dhaka.”