If one does not have any idea about the Stasi — secret police agency of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) — they can start with the movie The Lives of Others. The brilliantly-made movie, released in 2006, showed how the loathed and feared force decimated the people of East Germany. All sorts of privacy of the people, who are supposed to be protected by the state, were breached by the secret police.
The infamy of Stasi may become legendary but the surveillance and suppression of Bangladesh police under the Awami League regime has surpassed those acts. The regime, which came to power through questionable elections, has shown the audacity of publicly awarding the police who are doing the Stasi-like job. Even the erstwhile communist regime did not have such brazen frankness.
The Bangladesh-based newspaper the Business Standard reported, Mohammad Anisur Rahman, special superintendent of police (Open-Source Intelligence) of the Special Branch (promoted as Additional DIG), has received the Bangladesh Police Medal (service) for submitting analytical intelligence reports.
Anisur monitored electronic, print and online media 24/7 and sent intelligence reports on sensitive issues to higher authorities along with regular open-source monitoring reports. He submitted 96 analytical intelligence reports from 1 December 2022 to 10 January 2024. For that he also monitored profiles of individuals and groups discreetly.
Awarding for breaching privacy of people as a matter of fact is a big part of this regime that relies on surveillance capitalism. Time and again the regime has bought expensive spying equipment and apparatus from Israel to spy on people and quell any dissent. Although there is no official diplomatic relation with Israel, the regime did not bother to think twice before purchasing those ultra-expensive surveillance technologies.
Sheikh Hasina recently condemned Israel publicly for attacking the Palestinians and received plaudits from many corners but it was just an eye-wash as these clandestine purchases suggest that her regime maintains profound relations with the hated country.
As a matter of fact the recent award to a brazen privacy-breaching police officer proves the regime is akin to Israel, and its police has surpassed many former infamous groups.
The Boxer: The author is one of the indefatigable working-class Bangladeshis who have been trying to change the fate of the nation but were betrayed by the ruling elites and autocrats. The name is inspired by a character in George Orwell's 1945 novel Animal Farm.