Police sources say that over time, some officers have taken advantage of this flexibility to become influential figures in their local areas. This has been particularly evident among long-serving officers in detective branches, police stations, traffic divisions and crime-control units, where they often form informal networks.
These networks may include local political leaders, land grabbers, extortionists, drug traffickers, power brokers in the transport sector and groups involved in persistent litigation.
One of the latest controversial cases involves Taimur Islam, an inspector in the detective branch (DB) of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP). Local residents have accused them of filing harassment cases, making arbitrary arrests, extorting money through intimidation, aiding the seizure of businesses, and maintaining ties to criminal groups.
After the July mass uprising, Taimur Islam joined the KMP on November 3, 2024. Despite receiving transfer orders on two occasions, he did not leave his post in Khulna.