Criminals commit crimes in guise of cops

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Criminals continue to cheat people using uniforms, caps, handcuffs and other accessories used by law enforcers due to lack of proper mechanism for monitoring the sale of these items.

They often commit crimes disguising themselves as law enforcers in the capital and other parts in the country.

Terming the misuse of these items by criminals ‘a matter of concern’, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Naim Ahmed told The Daily Star, “It’s true that there is no restrictions on the sale of uniforms and other items used by the law enforcement agencies.”

“There are chances that police uniforms and other items might be misused. Now we are trying to find a solution to it,” he said.

He also said these items are sold at several markets from where the law enforcers buy uniforms and other necessary items.

A youth wearing police uniform attempted to snatch the rifle of a policeman in the city’s Kafrul area on April 18. But, locals caught him foiling his attempt.

Fazlul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station, told The Daily Star that the youth bought the police uniform from Polwel Market in the capital.

Four other criminals in police uniform were arrested in the city’s Paltan area while extorting money from vendors last year.

Police Welfare Society runs the Polwel Market, where around 35 shops sell these items. Besides, these are sold in two small markets in Kochukhet and Rajarbagh.

Uniforms and other items of police, ansars, jail guards and members of Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and private security guard companies are available at Polwel and Rajarbagh markets while uniforms and items used by the armed forces, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) are sold at Kochukhet.

Anyone can buy these uniforms and items at the markets.

Sources said two types of handcuffs are also sold at Polwel. A Bangladesh-made pair of handcuffs costs Tk 200-250 while a Taiwan-made one is sold at Tk 500-600.

The police department gives each policeman from the rank of constable to sub-inspector two sets of uniforms every year while it provides allowances for officials from the rank of inspector to the inspector general of police who buy uniforms from the market.

Syed Nurul Islam, assistant commissioner of police of Lalbagh-Kotwali zone, said, “The supply of badges, caps, handcuffs and other items is limited. If we lose any of these items, we have to buy it from the market.”

A shop owner at Polwel said the uniforms supplied by the police department are of poor quality.

“That is why most of the policemen have to buy extra uniforms,” he added.

Another shop owner said, “We have been asked to sell the uniforms and items after verifying the buyer’s identity. But if we ask the buyers to show their ID cards, they get annoyed.”

The traders at Polwel Market, however, claimed that they are very cautious about selling such items, adding that these items are also used by artistes in drama and film.

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