The Police Headquarters have issued directives regarding arrests in cases filed with police stations and courts over killings and other crimes during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement that led to a mass uprising.

The letter, signed by Deputy Inspector General Kamrul Ahsan, said steps have to take to drop the name of any officer or individual if their involvement in murder or other cases is not found during primary investigation.

It further said no government employee can be arrested without proof in cases filed by the families of those killed during the movement, or by any aggrieved person.

The directives, citing the minutes of the first meeting of advisory committee on law and order, were issued on September 10, DIG Kamrul told The Daily Star yesterday.

"Though such directives were in the CrPC and service rules, these were issued to ensure that no one is subjected to harassment."

The directives follow criticism of the police over the filing of "arbitrary cases" against journalists and other people.

The letter has been sent to police stations across the country, asking the officers-in-charge to inform the Police Headquarters via mail on actions taken in response to the directives by September 22.