Mirpur Model Police Station, like many others in the capital, was vandalized on the afternoon of August 5, shortly after the news of the fall of the Awami League government broke.
The four-storey station was completely burned down by the attackers. The police officers panicked and fled the station at that moment.
Once the situation calmed down, it was evident that the entire building had been reduced to ashes.
The police station had turned into ruins; nothing remained of the tables, chairs, or wooden doors. Weapons and motorcycles were looted, and the patrol cars were set ablaze.
When this reporter visited Mirpur Model Police Station recently, it was observed that renovation work was underway.
A temporary office for the Officer in Charge (OC) had been set up in a tin shed behind the station.
Complaints were being registered in a small room beside the stairs on the ground floor of another building that housed police officers.
Additionally, four vehicles had been borrowed from other police stations to maintain patrol activities.
However, the condition of these cars was less than ideal, according to some officers, who reported that water would seep inside during rain.
The officers at the station recounted that on the afternoon of August 5, a group of angry people attacked the police station, with a growing crowd eventually joining in.
Efforts to prevent the mob attack continued until the evening, but by then, the crowd had stormed the station.
The officers were forced to flee behind the police station to save their lives. No officers were killed in the incident, although four were injured.
As the law and order situation in the country somewhat stabilized, the officers began returning to the station on August 7, with the rest returning to work by August 9.
Upon their return, they were shocked to see the destruction. Nevertheless, they resumed their duties on a limited scale, as the public still needed their services.
Initially, they took complaints from a tent set up in the garden in front of the police station.
According to available information, around 200 police and Ansar members were stationed at Mirpur Model Police Station. Some of them have since been transferred to other stations.
Many of those who were present at the station on August 5 remain mentally shaken by the event.
The former OC of Mirpur Model Police Station, Md Monirul Islam, said: “All the officers have returned to work. Some of them have been transferred.”
Regarding the damage, he explained: “The building was completely burned down. The OC’s car was vandalized, but it has since been repaired. Of the seven patrol cars we had, all were completely burned. The riot car was also destroyed. At present, we have borrowed four cars from other stations to conduct operations.”
“Many of the bikes, including some personal ones belonging to the SI, ASI, and sub-inspectors, were looted from the station. Weapons were stolen, although the exact number is still being determined. Some of the stored weapons were burned, but a few were recovered,” he added.
Monirul Islam had joined the station after the events of August 5 and was transferred again on September 18.
When asked about the services currently being provided, police station duty officer Azizul Haque Swapan said: “Since operations resumed, there have been complaints of document loss and mobile phone theft. Other than that, no major or complex complaints have been reported yet. However, recently, some complaints related to beatings and minor incidents have begun to come in.”
Several officers at Mirpur Model Police Station stated that they remained psychologically shaken even after returning to work.
They described the incidents of August 5 as terrifying, recounting how they watched the station go up in flames before their eyes and had to flee to save their lives.
“No one could have imagined such a situation,” one officer said. “Even after returning to work, the fear lingered in our minds for a long time.”
A police officer, who requested anonymity, speaking of the emotional toll resulting from the incident, said: “It is humiliating for the police. How does it feel when those we serve turn against us?”
Another officer added: “I couldn’t sleep for over a week. Seeing policemen killed, others hanged, and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members murdered in their cars—it has weakened us deeply.”