Government Considers Three Officers for Police Chief Role
Discussions in the government have begun on appointing a replacement for the current inspector general of police (IGP) following controversial remarks by incumbent police chief Md Ali Hossain Fakir about “crossfire.” Three officers from his 15th BCS batch are being considered for the top post.
Senior Officers Under Consideration
According to informed sources, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sought files containing the personal and professional details of three senior officers: Additional IGP Hasib Aziz, chief of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn); Additional IGP Barrister Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, chief of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID); and Additional IGP Md Ahsan Habib Palash, director general (DG) of the Special Response Battalion (SRB).
Additionally, the name of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has been mentioned in discussions, sources indicate. The decision will depend on intelligence reports, past activities of the officers, and their ability to discharge the responsibilities of the post.
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Government and Political Reaction
The IGP’s comments sparked a reaction from both political and government circles. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, acting secretary general of the BNP and the PM’s political adviser, characterized the remarks as embarrassing for the government.
Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, the PM’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser, stated that the prime minister would address the matter upon returning to the country. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed deemed the IGP’s remarks on crossfire inappropriate, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on the issue.
Career Background of Candidates
Hasib Aziz is currently serving as the chief of the APBn with the rank of additional IGP. A member of the 15th BCS police cadre, he joined Bangladesh Police in 1995. He took charge as the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) commissioner in September 2024. After around one and a half years, he was made APBn chief in March 2026.
Before becoming the CMP chief, Aziz served as commandant of the Detective Training School under the CID. His career has also included roles such as head of the Interpol desk, commandant of the Tangail Police Training Centre, and various positions at APBn headquarters. Born in Shariatpur in 1971, Aziz is the son of former IGP M Azizul Haque, who also served as an adviser to the caretaker government in 2006.
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Profiles of Other Candidates
Additional IGP Mosharraf Hossain formally assumed charge as the CID chief on 29 July 2026. He holds a master’s degree in economics from Islamic University in Kushtia and received higher education in law in the United Kingdom.
Before becoming CID chief, he served on deputation as a director of the National Security Intelligence (NSI). He was promoted to the rank of additional IGP while serving in that role. At the field level, he served as the SP in Pirojpur and Chapainawabganj. He has also held important positions at CID headquarters and its Chattogram and Cumilla units.
Additional IGP Ahsan Habib Palash is the first DG of the newly formed SRB. He previously served as the last DG of the RAB. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from the University of Dhaka. He has also received professional training in the US, the UK, Australia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
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Clarification and Future Plans
In March 2026, Palash was promoted to additional IGP and appointed RAB DG, formally assuming the role on 28 March. In September, he became the first SRB chief. Before taking charge of RAB, he served as deputy IGP for the Chattogram Range. His previous assignments also include DMP, CMP, Sylhet Metropolitan Police, the APBn, the Police Bureau of Investigation, and field-level positions in various districts.
At an event in Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka, on Monday, IGP Ali Hossain Fakir stated that police would not hesitate to resort to crossfire if necessary, provided the government gave permission. At the same event, he said police were labelled fascist when they used force and weak when they remained inactive. He also stressed the need to provide police with an appropriate environment to carry out their duties in maintaining law and order.
IGP’s Crossfire Remarks and Clarification
In a clarification issued later that night, Police Headquarters said the IGP had not used the term crossfire to mean extrajudicial killing or punishment outside the judicial process. Rather, he had used the term metaphorically while referring to strict law enforcement against criminals.
