Mohammad Shariful Haque, currently serving as the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Bhola, should not be mistaken for an ordinary or neutral law enforcement officer. He holds the 31st position on the fascist regime’s “good list” of police officers. Following the revolutionary events of July-August, authorities struggled to find a suitable posting for him—keeping him in his previous role as the Commandant (Superintendent of Police) of the Sirajganj In-Service Training Center was deemed too risky. In a rushed move, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Public Security Division issued an order on September 3, appointing Shariful Haque as the SP of the island district of Bhola, thereby managing to balance both concerns.

Hailing from a rural neighborhood in Kotwali Thana, Mymensingh, the highly controversial police officer Mohammad Shariful Haque is a member of the 25th batch of the BCS (Police) cadre. Since his recruitment into the police force, he has repeatedly been warned for misconduct, unethical activities, and disciplinary violations. Wherever he was posted, he created chaos through groupism, lobbying, and forming self-serving associations. During his tenure as Additional Superintendent of Police in Tangail, he allegedly engaged in rampant extortion under the guise of organizing events for the “Greater Mymensingh Association,” an organization he formed himself. He anointed himself as the General Secretary of this group and used it to extract large sums of money under the pretense of donations, consolidating his influence across the district.

The police headquarters did not take kindly to his actions. On June 18, 2020, he was removed from his position and transferred to Sirajganj, effectively exiling him to a role with minimal public engagement at the In-Service Training Center. Despite numerous attempts and lobbying efforts, he remained trapped in this post. However, during the turmoil of the July-August revolution, Sirajganj turned into a hotspot of unrest. The enraged student-youth population branded Shariful Haque a stooge of the fascist Awami League and sought to take action against him. As the situation deteriorated, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Public Security Division swiftly issued a directive on September 3 to remove him from Sirajganj. On September 10, he was reassigned as the Superintendent of Police in Bhola.

Although the people of the isolated island district of Bhola welcomed Shariful Haque with floral greetings, his character and behavior remained unchanged. From the moment he took charge, he allegedly began fostering factionalism within the police force, forming covert “supporter groups,” “regional groups,” and “League groups.”

SP Sleeps Through Attacks on Journalists but Unleashes Havoc Over Minor Incidents

The SP remains perpetually busy protecting his loyalists and pro-League police officers. On the night of March 4, Sub-Inspector Zafar, Assistant Sub-Inspector Kamrul Islam, and another officer conducted a raid in an unguarded village in Borhanuddin, Bhola. They arrested a wanted criminal named Akbar, but his supporters quickly overpowered the police and freed him. This incident triggered an immediate and furious response from the SP. That same night, he dispatched a contingent of law enforcement officers, including an Additional Superintendent of Police, two Assistant Superintendents of Police, six Inspectors, and over fifty members of the regular police and Detective Branch (DB). Under the guise of a crackdown, they unleashed a brutal rampage. Panic-stricken men from several villages fled by boat, leaving behind their homes. The police raided houses, dragging out sleeping children, young men, and elderly individuals. Twelve people were arrested and subjected to inhumane torture for five to six hours at the police station before being presented in court.

However, on the same day (March 4), in broad daylight, Mohammad Ali Jinnah Rajib, Chief Editor of the Daily Bhola Times, and Bijoy Bain, Editor of the online news portal Bhola Prokash, were brutally attacked by assailants in the district town, leaving them severely injured. Yet, SP Shariful Haque did not even glance in their direction. Despite a case being filed at Bhola Sadar Police Station, naming four accused individuals, the SP personally obstructed their arrest. Disturbingly, reports suggest that the accused individuals, who were officially listed in the case, were seen enjoying tea with the SP last night.

Outraged by these developments, Bhola’s journalists have staged protests and human chains, demanding justice. When contacted by journalist leaders in Dhaka, SP Shariful Haque responded with extreme rudeness, dismissing the concerns by stating that “filing a case does not necessarily mean the accused must be arrested.”

Now, Bhola is abuzz with one burning question: “Why is the rude SP Shariful so concerned about those who attack journalists?”