Students fill police void in Bangladesh's capital, enforcing traffic rules and patrolling streets

DHAKA:

For residents of Dhaka, this scene is not exactly new.

Young people in their late teens and early 20s endure the intense heat and monsoon rains to manage the Bangladeshi capital’s notorious traffic.

In 2018, after a recklessly driven bus killed two pupils, massive protests led by students swept the country. Schools and universities were shut down as students took to the streets to control traffic, their way of sending a message to the government that they could manage it better than the police.

Now, six years later, young Bangladeshis are back out on the streets, not to make a statement but simply to do a job that no one is doing at the moment.

“I’m here because there are no traffic police around and the roads have become chaotic,” said Ahnaf Matin, a private university student on duty at Mirpur Road.

“My friends and I looked up some YouTube videos on traffic management. It’s not that difficult.”

As Bangladesh begins to recover from weeks of violent protests that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, Dhaka is also slowly returning to normalcy, with markets reopening and public transport back on the roads.

However, there is still a significant absence of regular and traffic police, both forces that were heavily politicised during her 15-year rule.

Also read: Lessons from Bangladesh turmoil

During the student protests, police reportedly used live ammunition and pellet guns, which are condemned by international rights groups and even the UN.

This led to over 300 deaths and turned public sentiment against the police.

Just two days before Hasina’s departure, an enraged mob set fire to a police station in Sirajganj, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) from Dhaka, killing 13 officers – the highest number of police deaths in a single incident since the 1971 independence war.

Since Aug. 5, more than 30 police stations have been torched and at least 12 more officers killed.

With the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus taking over, some police stations have reopened, but only about 10% of the 200,000-member force has returned to work, according to sources at the police headquarters.

“There needs to be a complete overhaul of the police force,” Rezaye Rabbi Zayed, a key coordinator of the student-led protests, told Anadolu.

“All the top officials must be removed, as they were appointed by Hasina’s fascist regime. There should also be a major purge among mid-level officials. Even the police uniforms need to be changed, as they have become symbols of oppression.

“Until these changes are made, we will continue to take on the role of the police and stay vigilant.”

‘Handling it like professionals’

Despite their apparent lack of experience, students are receiving praise for their management of Dhaka’s traffic.

“They’re handling it like professionals,” said Mahin Ahmed, an NGO worker.

“This intersection in Moghbazar used to be congested when the traffic police were in charge, but things are much smoother here with these students managing it.”

While the idea of faster vehicles staying to the right and slower ones to the left is nothing new, it had been lost in the chaos of Dhaka’s frenetic traffic.

In a matter of days, however, the students have somehow successfully enforced lane discipline.

“Basic traffic rules haven’t been followed in Dhaka for a long time. The police force was so corrupt that they allowed people to break the rules for a bribe,” said Mugdho Mahzab, an A-Levels student.

“We won’t tolerate that anymore. Rules must be enforced.”

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The students have also managed to rein in Dhaka’s infamous bus drivers, obliging them to use bus stops.

They have also taken the initiative to improve traffic safety by marking stop lines, clearing lanes for ambulances, and encouraging motorcyclists to wear helmets.

While facing challenges such as non-compliance and occasional anger from drivers, the young individuals remain committed to their cause.

Synthia Azmi, a first-year student at Brac University, acknowledged that the task of managing traffic is undeniably tough.

“Not everyone complies, and some people even get irritated when asked to follow the lanes,” Azmi, who was overseeing traffic in Dhaka’s Badda neighbourhood, told Anadolu.

“It might take time, but every small effort contributes to positive change.”

Security patrols and price checks

Without any law enforcement present, students are also patrolling Dhaka’s streets, armed with sticks and even cricket bats.

Since Hasina’s ouster, there has been fear of more violence and lawlessness, exacerbated by social media reports of robberies.

In response, students and other residents are out at night in their communities, searching vehicles and keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.

“We’re making sure that no crimes are happening in our neighbourhood,” said Morshed Noman, a student of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, who was patrolling in the Dhanmondi area with a few friends.

“We understand that it’s risky to be out here with just sticks, especially since the criminals might be armed, but we have a strong network to support each other,” he explained.

While some police stations have reopened, they remain ill-equipped to handle detainees, especially after the extensive looting and arson over the past few days.

To overcome that problem, the students on patrol have been handing over any apprehended suspects to the army.

The sense of fear has been gradually subsiding as communities rally together for protection, with the nighttime patrols transforming into almost celebratory gatherings.

Read also: Bangladesh: reality of the second revolution

Photos and videos of a patrol in the Mirpur DOHS area have gone viral on social media, showing what resembles a festival with tables set up in the middle of the road, colourful lights, and music.

Captions accompanying the images read: “Bangladesh is not for beginners; here, nighttime patrols have become a festive celebration.”

Since last Friday, students have also been monitoring markets in Dhaka, a move welcomed by both the public and shopkeepers.

They are organising teams to prevent traders from forming syndicates and inflating prices of essential items.

Mahnur Aslam, a student, told Anadolu that they are making sure that traders display their price lists.

At Karwan Bazaar, Dhaka’s largest market, they occasionally posed as regular customers to check prices and urged sellers to charge fair rates, emphasising the need for collective efforts to steer Bangladesh to a better future.

“This was a student-led uprising, and they are determined to rebuild the nation from the remnants of a fascist regime,” Sharmeen Murshid, one of the 17 advisors to the interim government, told Anadolu.

“Our new administration fully supports the students’ initiative and is exploring ways to integrate their efforts. However, our top priority is to restore official law enforcement to duty. This is essential and non-negotiable.”