'Nothing will happen if Hasina returns': Cantonment OC withdrawn after alleged audio clip goes viral

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has withdrawn the officer-in-charge (OC) of Cantonment Police Station, Md Rakibul Hasan, after an audio clip purportedly featuring him went viral on social media, in which a person says the police will be unable to do anything if ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina returns to Bangladesh.

DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed signed an office order today (17 September), attaching Rakibul to the Central Reserve Office under the DMP Headquarters and Administration Division for administrative reasons.

According to multiple police sources, the voice in the audio was initially identified as that of Rakibul. However, the DMP order did not cite the audio or any related allegation as the reason for his withdrawal, instead mentioning "administrative reasons".

The audio surfaced on social media last night. In it, a person identifying himself as an officer-in-charge (OC) can be heard criticising the government, administration, army and police, while also making allegations about political affiliations among senior police officers and financial transactions in the posting of officers-in-charge.

The person in the recording also claims that senior officers are involved with the BNP, while saying that he and some other officers were not involved in BNP politics.

The voice further alleges that a senior police officer's driver, identified as Monir, was involved in posting officers-in-charge in exchange for money.

"I know Sheikh Hasina is coming in December. Nothing will happen, absolutely nothing. You can imagine how weak the police on the streets are. Extremely weak. She should come. December is already too late. She should have come this month. If she comes, the current police will not be able to do anything."

The speaker also claims that officers seeking postings were paying money and alleges that an unnamed senior official could accumulate Tk100 crore by remaining in his current post for a year.

The recording also contains claims about corruption in police postings and references former inspector general of police and Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Benazir Ahmed.

The person further claims to have previously arranged an unspecified matter for a senior officer in Bhatara and alleges that the officer received Tk1 crore.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Rakibul claimed that the viral audio was generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The Business Standard could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip or the allegations made in it.

DMP officials could not immediately be reached for comment on whether any inquiry had been launched into the audio.

The development came a day after DMP attached Gulshan Model Police Station OC Md Daud Hossain to its headquarters following an Awami League procession in the capital's Gulshan area on 11 September. 

The political activities of the Awami League are currently banned.