Rumours of IGP resignation spark talk of possible successors
Rumours of a major reshuffle at the top level of the Bangladesh Police have intensified following the conclusion of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Discussions circulated on Sunday (February 15) claiming that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam had submitted his resignation letter, although the interim government has not yet made any official decision. As a result, speculation over a possible change in police leadership has further deepened.
Senior police officials believe that appointing a new figure with a clean image, rather than reinstating someone from the past, could bring greater dynamism to the force. In this context, several officers from the 15th BCS batch are reportedly under consideration.
Sources concerned said that following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, a series of administrative reshuffles took place across various state institutions. As part of that process, Baharul Alam was appointed IGP on November 21 of the same year.
Baharul Alam succeeded outgoing IGP Md Moinul Islam, and his contractual tenure is scheduled to end on November 21 this year. However, rumours of his resignation have emerged well before the completion of his term.
Names discussed for the next IGP
Ali Hossain Fakir
Among the most discussed candidates is Additional IGP of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Md Ali Hossain Fakir, a 15th BCS batch officer.
During the Awami League government, he was first dismissed from service and later sent into compulsory retirement for political reasons, reportedly becoming a victim of political retaliation. Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024, amid a mass uprising, he was reinstated through legal procedures at the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) under the interim administration led by Dr Muhammad Yunus. He was later promoted to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) on a supernumerary basis and subsequently elevated to Additional IGP (Grade-II) on August 11 last year.
Hailing from Bagerhat, Ali Hossain Fakir earned a reputation as a competent officer during his career. He served as SP in several districts and was Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Zone in 2008. He later served in a United Nations peacekeeping mission, where he received recognition for his performance. After returning to Bangladesh, he was attached as SP to the Rajshahi DIG Office before being compulsorily retired by the government in 2022.
Ansar Ali Pathan
Retired police officer Ansar Uddin Khan Pathan, currently serving as Coordinator (Grade-1) of the Investigation Agency of the International Crimes Tribunal, is also being discussed as a potential candidate for IGP.
Widely regarded as a competent police officer, he retired in 2022. Besides his policing career, he is well known as a skilled and creative instructor, having trained a large number of young police officers in Bangladesh. Many members of the current generation of officers were directly trained by him.
Due to his involvement in police reforms and his responsibilities during the caretaker government in 2007, he reportedly faced professional harassment under subsequent administrations. However, his professionalism and integrity prevented his removal from the force before retirement. Since retiring, he has been engaged in social work and writing. He is a resident of Kajla village in Purbadhala, Netrokona.
Hasib Aziz
Additional IGP Hasib Aziz, Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), is also among those being discussed for the position. He assumed office as the 33rd CMP Commissioner on September 5, 2024, joining from the Detective Training School of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Born on December 30, 1971, in Shafipur of Shariatpur, Hasib Aziz obtained an MCom degree from the University of Dhaka in 1995 and an MA degree from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom in 2005.
A member of the 15th BCS Police cadre, he joined Bangladesh Police on November 15, 1995, and served as Additional Superintendent of Police in Chattogram district in 2002. His father, M Azizul Haque, was a former IGP of Bangladesh Police.
Sources said a new cabinet will be formed after the incoming government takes oath, and that cabinet will decide whether a new IGP will be appointed.
There has also been controversy surrounding the reported resignation of IGP Baharul Alam. His name appeared in the report of the National Independent Investigation Commission on the BDR carnage, prompting a writ petition last year seeking his removal. The court later dismissed the petition.
Earlier, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, submitted his resignation and quietly left the country on Saturday (February 14). Questions have arisen over the reasons behind IGP Baharul Alam’s reported resignation despite time remaining in his tenure, particularly at the final stage of the interim government’s administration.