A shocking case of police misconduct occurred on 16th March, 2025 at 5:15 PM, in which four DMTCL employees were reportedly verbally and physically abused by MRT police. The highly condemnable and unacceptable act has caused outrage among the metro workers.
Incident Details
At about 5:15 PM, two women in civilian attire entered the metro without tickets and attempted to exit from the swing gate next to the EFO office. Being not in specific uniforms and the identities of whom could not be determined, the on-duty CRA officer directed them to exit from the PG gate, as procedure. But some of the police officers who were there lost their cool and engaged in a shouting match with the metro staff. Two APBn officers soon also exited through the swing gate without closing it. When the metro staff asked them why they had done so, they also engaged in a heated argument, reportedly as a continuation of the earlier altercation. A few minutes later, additional police officers arrived from the control center and started engaging in a conflict with the CRA staff at the EFO. In the heat of the heightened tension, one of the police officers reportedly hit a CRA staff on the shoulder with a rifle and grabbed the collar of the TMO staff. The TMO officer was taken by the police to the MRT police box, where he was beaten physically and gunpointed against. Eyewitnesses, who were passengers and station authorities, intervened to rescue the metro staff member from the police. The incident has also raised serious questions about the safety of workplaces for metro staff. The CRA staff member injured was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment, and the TMO officer, reported to be traumatized, became unconscious while returning home after giving his statement, Metro Workers’ Demands. In response to the incident, employees of DMTCL have released the following demands: Summary and direct termination of the chief culprit, SI Masud, within a working day, and proper punishment of all the implicated officers (including Constable Rejanul and Inspector Ranjit). Public apology by the implicated officers. Establishment of a specialized armed security force for the security of metro commuters and staff.
Read More: TCB Smart Card Crisis in Sitakunda
Immediate shutdown of police service in MRT. Complete security guarantee for all metro staff, such as CRA, TMO, and station controllers. Enforcement of entry regulations strictly, i.e., no unauthorized individual gets into the paid area of the metro station without any official document or prior sanction. Full medical treatment of injured metro staff. The metro staff have stated that they would not return to work until their conditions are met and would strengthen their protests if necessary. They are appealing to the authorities to take immediate and effective measures for a safe and disciplined working environment in metro stations.
Source: DMTCL
