A series of frequent transfers of officer-in-charge (OC) positions across police stations in Chattogram Metropolitan Police has raised questions about transparency and possible hidden influences. Over the past 20 months, at least ten transfer orders have repeatedly placed the same group of officers in key and economically significant stations. Civil society representatives, including Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJAN), described the trend as alarming for administrative stability, arguing that frequent reshuffles hinder effective policing and erode public trust.

The reshuffle pattern intensified after the political transition of August 2024, when large-scale reassignments began within the Chattogram police. Analysts observed that the process often involved rotating existing officers among influential stations rather than introducing new leadership. Police sources indicated that competition for “preferred postings” in high-profile stations is linked to lobbying and unofficial influence. Former adviser Khoda Bakhsh Chowdhury, however, defended the practice as a normal administrative measure to restore stability after political change.

Observers warned that if the transfer process remains opaque and policy-deficient, it could undermine long-term law enforcement effectiveness and public confidence in the police system.