Blaming the top leadership for the use of excessive force in the recent quota- reform movement, Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA) and Bangladesh Police Association (BPA) on Tuesday offered an apology to the people for this.

The two organisations of police also urged the people not to attack the police members and their establishments.

Talking to journalists after a meeting at the Police Officers' Mess at Ramna, Deputy Inspector General (sacked) Khan Sayeed Hasan said the retired and serving police officials reached a consensus to make Additional Inspector General AKM Shahidur Rahman the central contract person as the chain of command of police collapsed.

He also said, "In the recent past, police personnel had to shoot at students and other commoners against their will for fulfilling the evil political goals of the ruling authoritarian party. The police officers are offering an apology for the injustice the force has done to the students over the past few weeks. The officers fully support holding a fair trial for the misdeeds done by our colleagues."

Sayeed said the association congratulates all the "soldiers" of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement for driving out a dictator from the country, referring to ousted premier Sheikh Hasina.

The association also prayed for the eternal peace of those who embraced martyrdom in the fight against fascism and the speedy recovery of the injured.

But the officers are also victims of fascism that had for years constricted their right to speak freely and their access to equal opportunities, it said.

Congratulating students for ousting the "autocrat', a BPA press statement said they are used as a tool for implementing the agenda of a political party.

It said the members of Bangladesh Police have been made villains to the countrymen after being forced to open fire on people.

The statement said the state enforces laws through the Bangladesh Police and its members incur people's wrath while implementing them. Sergeants/sub-inspectors and other lower-grade policemen are forced to work as a tool to materialise the interests of senior officials or political leaders. "Every order has to be obeyed, no matter whether it is legal or illegal. Policemen claimed that they were forced to open fire on the agitating people to implement the party agenda as most of their officers are politically biased."

The policemen said they also want the reform of the police force like the quota reform. They also announced that they will refrain from performing duty until they were safe from attacks.

bd-pratidin/GR