Police personnel working on the field are failing to maintain social distance among themselves.
According to police sources, policemen reported to have tested Covid-19 positive were mostly on duty to ensure social distancing, but ironically they have failed to maintain such distance themselves in the line of duty or in the barracks where they reside.
Dr Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and former vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said police officials were currently being infected in higher numbers as they were placed on duty among the general public to ensure social distancing.
“But they will have to learn first about maintaining social distancing between their own selves. A disciplined life and nutrient food are a must. Otherwise all the inadequacies together can act as a barrier to maintaining law and order,” he said.
Dr Emdadul Haque, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital (RCPH), stated that all field level officials, including traffic police, would have to maintain social distancing among themselves.
The Rajarbagh Police Lines barracks, where a significant number of police officers live, does not have the conditions needed to maintain social distancing. The situation is quite similar at other police barracks or messes across Bangladesh.
The authorities have already locked down the building of Kaliganj police station under Gazipur after a large number of police officials tested positive for Covid-19.
A police official under Gazipur district police said the Kaliganj police station is in a neighboring area of Narayanganj, and most police officials found infected had been on duty at check-posts installed in the area bordering Gazipur with Narayanganj.
Additionally, they lacked adequate PPE while discharging their duties, he added.
Over 250 infected
As of Monday, more than 250 police officials were found infected with Covid-19 across Bangladesh, with 80% of them being field officials such as constables, assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors.
In conversations with Dhaka Tribune, local police officials said they were managing safety equipment other than PPE on their own initiative.
Local businessmen, industrialists or social workers are helping the police in acquiring them locally while some police officials manage them on their own.
Even so, such initiatives are inadequate, which is why many police officers have been found infected with Covid-19 in Bangladesh.
Can re-arrangement of duties be an option?
RCPH SP Dr Emdadul Haque said the police authorities were emphasising a management of duties instead of PPEs in the interest of the safety of their staff.
The police force has been divided into four groups following instructions from the Dhaka range deputy inspector general.
The mess and food for the officials have been separated by renting some houses while they have been placed on roster duty.
Those who are on duty at police stations will live separately and their mess and food distribution will be separate, said the police super.
Police have locked down several buildings in the district. Therefore, policemen who are on duty in monitoring those houses, or maintaining social distancing, or are on duty at check posts are only given PPEs, Emdadul added.
Mofiz Uddin Ahmed, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (traffic), said the authorities were now following directives on how to reduce duties for traffic, and maintain social distancing as per directives issued by Inspector General of Police Dr Benazir Ahmed to the DMP commissioner.
“Based on the guidelines, we have introduced shifts and taken the initiative to have policemen maintain social distancing at their places of accomodation too,” he added.
Since there is no private transport for most constables, they are moving from one place to another with many others on trucks and vans of the police force.