During the student-led mass uprising in July-August last year, several police stations and hundreds of police vehicles were burned, exacerbating a long-standing crisis of vehicle shortage. The police headquarters said that due to the lack of vehicles, it is not possible to provide proper services to the citizens. Regular work, including police patrols, is being disrupted. They cannot even get to the crime scenes promptly because of their battered vehicles. The work of other police units is also being disrupted due to the lack of necessary vehicles. In such a situation, the police force is having to prepare for the upcoming election with a shortage of around 4,500 vehicles. In addition to taking longer response time, members of the force believe that there is a fear that field-level activities will also be disrupted. Experts demand effective initiatives to resolve the crisis.

According to the Police Headquarters, there is currently a shortage of 4,447 vehicles in the force. Of these, the largest shortage is of 3,497 motorcycles. This vehicle is most commonly used in police patrol duties at the district and Upazila levels. There is also a shortage of double cabin pickups, which are used for patrolling as well as various emergency operations. A total of 507 such vehicles are in short supply.

In addition to motorcycles and double cabin pickups, the police force also has a shortage of a total of 443 SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) or Jeeps. SUVs or Jeeps are usually used by officers above Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), who are primarily responsible for overseeing law and order and operations in the district or upazila.
Field police members say that it has become difficult to perform routine duties of police stations with the existing vehicles. Especially due to the shortage of motorcycles and double cabin pickups, patrol duty is suffering the most. If a crime is reported in a suburban area, Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) and police constables are the first to arrive at the scene on motorcycles. Depending on the situation, a Sub-Inspector (SI) or an Inspector-level officer then rushes to the spot, accompanied by constables. But in the current situation, due to the shortage of double cabin pickup vehicles, it is not possible to conduct operations even if it is urgently needed in many cases.

Police AIG (Media and PR) Enamul Haque Sagor told Bonik Barta, “We are working to fill the shortage of vehicles. We are providing vehicles to different units according to importance. Police stations have to be the first to respond to any incident. Therefore, police stations have a higher priority. Everyone involved is sincere in resolving the shortage of vehicles.”
According to the police headquarters, on August 5, a student-public movement led to massive clashes in several areas of the capital, including Jatrabari. An angry crowd attacked Jatrabari police station. Three buildings, including the police station, were reduced to rubble due to vandalism and arson. Seven vehicles of this police station, along with the cars of a then Assistant Commissioner (AC) and an Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), were set on fire; a total of nine vehicles. In addition, vehicles of police members who came from outside were also set on fire that day. Motorcycles of police members inside the police station and vehicles seized as evidence in various cases were also burned. At least 35 police vehicles were parked in front of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) building on the east side, and they were also set on fire. Police vehicles were damaged all over the country at that time. In total, 1,146 vehicles were vandalized and set on fire during the July-August movement last year. This caused a loss of BDT 2.85 billion.

Those concerned say that although the police station activities have gradually started to return to normal after the change of power, police patrols have decreased due to the lack of vehicles. To maintain law and order and prevent crime, multiple police teams always have to be on patrol in the concerned police station area. They have to reach the spot quickly on the news of any crime or accident. But this activity is being hampered due to the shortage of vehicles in most police stations.
A police officer from the capital’s Mirpur police station, on condition of anonymity, told Bonik Barta, “In police stations where there used to be seven or eight vehicles, there are now only two or three. As a result, our work is naturally being disrupted. It's no longer possible to carry out patrol duties with vehicles. However, we are trying to overcome this shortage. So, teams are now working shifts using motorcycles. But this is increasing our response time. Previously, police could reach the scene within seven to ten minutes of receiving a report, now it’s taking more than twenty minutes. In some cases, it’s even taking up to half an hour to respond. The main reason for this is the shortage of vehicles.”

The police are preparing for the upcoming election amid a shortage of vehicles. This vehicle crisis could become a major obstacle during the nationwide deployment for election duties. Officials point out that currently, vehicles from one police station are being used to support another. But during the election, all stations will simultaneously require their own vehicles. At that time, it won’t be possible to provide vehicle support from one station to another.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam also believes that the force members may have to speed up the performance of their election duties due to the severe vehicle shortage. He told Bonik Barta, “There was already a vehicle shortage in the force. This crisis became more acute when many vehicles were damaged before and after August 5. Of course, there is not that much of a shortage of vehicles for officers. Because many luxury cars have been purchased in the past 15 years. And these cars were not damaged much. The vehicles that were damaged were the field-level vehicles. These vehicles are more needed for operations. In addition, trucks and buses are needed for force transportation. We now support one police station with another police station. But during the election, all police stations will need vehicles. Therefore, the vehicle shortage can be a major obstacle to the police in performing their election duties.”