Dhaka: Protesting police officers in Bangladesh have agreed to call off their strike after the interim government assured them it would meet most of their demands, according to media reports on Monday.

The Bangladesh Police Subordinate Employees Association (BPSEA) called the strike on August 6 after clashes broke out between police and students across the country during widespread protests against the Sheikh Hasina government over a controversial quota system in job allocation.

The clashes led to the fall of Hasina’s Awami League government and forced her to flee to India. Many police officers did not return to work after the government’s fall out of fear, and those who did went to their police stations in plain clothes.

The strike representatives announced the termination of the strike after a meeting with interim Interior Advisor Brigadier General (retired) M. Sakhawat Hussain on Sunday, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

They said police had been assured that most of the demands on their 11-point list would be met.

Based on the meeting, it was decided that the protesting police officers would resume work without cadres from Monday, reported the news portal bdnews24.com.

“After the meeting with the Home Minister, we have received assurances and will wear our uniforms and resume work from Monday,” Sergeant Asaduzzaman Jewel, a member of an inquiry committee set up by the Inspector General of Police, is quoted as saying in the report.

Interim Interior Minister Sakhawat said those who ordered excessive force were operating at the political level and that no perpetrators would be spared, adding that an investigation would be launched.

“Personally, I believe that there should be a police commission. The police will operate under the supervision of this commission and not under the supervision of any political party. Political parties are abusing the police,” The Daily Star newspaper quoted him as saying.

“The police uniforms and logos will be changed as soon as possible. Their hearts are heavy with grief. They (the police officers) do not want to go out in this uniform,” he said.

The protesting police officers had demanded justice for those responsible for the attacks on police facilities. They also demanded, among other things, a one-off financial compensation for the families of the killed police officers and transparency in the recruitment of police officers.

On Sunday, newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Mainul Islam said at least 42 police personnel were killed and scores more injured in the recent clashes.

He added that over 500 police officers had been injured and were being treated in hospital and over two dozen police officers were still receiving treatment.

More than 230 people have died in Bangladesh in violence that erupted across the country following the overthrow of Hasina’s government last week, bringing the death toll to 560 since anti-quota protests began in mid-July.