Police personnel should immediately resume their regular duty to ensure people's safety, said speakers at a public discourse yesterday.

If there was any sense of insecurity or lack of trust among the police members, then the authorities concerned must sit with them and listen to their problems to find a solution, they said.

The discussion titled "How to Ensure Public Safety and Security?" was organised by The Daily Star at the capital's The Daily Star Centre.

Pointing to police atrocities on student protesters and people during the recent nationwide movements that toppled the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, they said rogue policemen should be identified and isolated from the force as well as be punished. However, rebuilding people's trust on the police force as a whole is crucial for the country's progress.

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Police not on the ground

Following the August 5 changeover, many policemen deserted their workplaces amid attacks on police stations across the country.

At the event, former inspector general of police Muhammad Nurul Huda emphasised the urgent need for police, particularly traffic officials, to be more "visible" and to promptly resume their duties.

He said students were trying to fill the absence by controlling the traffic situation on the city streets but they need to go back to the classroom immediately as they are the future nation-builders.

"It is important to understand why police behave the way they do," he said, adding, the force is part of the executive branch and merely follows order.

There will be little to no gain in squarely blaming the police force, he further said.

Joining the discussion virtually, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said ordinary citizens are the most affected by the recent decline in law and order, while traders have also encountered difficulties in operating their businesses.

He emphasised that maintaining law and order is a role only the police can fulfill, and it cannot be effectively handled by any other agency.

Expressing concern over safety issues, Abdullah Hil Rakib, vice president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, called upon the newly-formed interim government to take immediate steps for redeployment of policemen for smooth shipments of their goods.

In his opening remarks, Golam Mortaza, editor of The Daily Star Bangla, said police are the most important force when it comes to people's safety.

However, they are also one of the most criticised ones for their controversial roles. He said immediate redeployment of police is crucial, as society is full of rumours and confusion.

Rights activist Ilira Dewan said it is important to build the police as a people-friendly force while police itself has to play a role to earn people's trust.

Filmmaker Ashfaq Nipun, JAAGO Foundation founder Korvi Rakshand, Journalist Rashed Nizam, and Dhaka University Chhatra Union President Meghmallar Bosu, among others, spoke at the discussion.