For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The Department of Immigration and Passports has sent letters to the home ministry and the Police Headquarters in Dhaka in order to cancel the passports of police officers who were absent from duty after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
The agency's Director General Maj Gen Nurul Anwar told bdnews24.com, “A list of policemen who are absent from duty or absconding after the government’s fall on Aug 5 has been requested.
"Once we receive a response to the letter sent to the ministry and Police Headquarters, we will begin the process of cancelling the passports."
Officials from the passports department said they are also reaching out to other relevant departments for lists of absent officers in various sectors.
According to a message from Police Headquarters on Sept 17, at least 187 policemen of different ranks have not returned to work since Aug 5. It is unclear how many of them possess passports.
Some of these policemen are in hiding, with many facing legal cases related to casualties during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.
Among those facing charges are the former chief of police detectives, Harunor Rashid; former chief of Special Branch Monirul Islam; and former joint commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Biplob Kumar Sarker.
The director general indicated that the process to cancel the passports of these officials is already under way, according to bdnes24.com.
Additionally, passports will also be cancelled for those policemen who have resigned or been forcibly retired, according to a passport department official.
An official from the passport department revealed that the cancellation process for some individuals has already begun, including former deputy inspector general Abdul Baten, former Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner Md Moniruzzaman, former deputy commissioner of police Maruf Hossain, Assistant Registrar of Begum Rokeya University Rafiul Hassan, and university lecturer Moshiur Rahman.
The list also includes several members of the banned organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League.