Ducks, chickens and gourds for a departing police OC...

There were flowers, as expected. Then came the ducks, chickens, bottle gourds and pomelos.

Residents of Harirampur in Bangladesh’s central Manikganj district turned what could have been a routine farewell for a transferred police officer into an unusual display of affection, arriving at the local police station bearing gifts from their farms, gardens and homes.

People gathered at Harirampur Police Station on Wednesday to bid farewell to outgoing Officer-in-Charge Afzal Hossain and welcome his successor, JOM Toufiq Azam.

Teachers, traders, political activists and villagers attended. Some brought bouquets. Others arrived with fruit and vegetables. A few carried live poultry.

For residents of Harirampur’s remote riverine chars, getting there required more effort.

Farmer Main Uddin crossed the Padma River to attend the farewell.

“Since OC Afzal Hossain joined, theft and robbery in our char areas have declined considerably,” Main said. “He regularly checked on us. During his tenure, we felt more secure.”

Habeza, a woman from a distant char, brought pomelos picked from her own tree as a farewell gift.

Retired teachers Osman Ali and Jalal Uddin recalled regularly seeing Afzal walking along roads in the upazila early in the morning.

They said the police officer used the walks to observe conditions himself and would take action when he spotted problems. His habit of maintaining direct contact with residents made him popular locally, they said.

For Afzal, the farewell was unexpected.

“Transfers are a normal part of government service,” he said. “But I will never forget the respect and affection with which the people of Harirampur have bid me farewell.”

“The simplicity and sincerity of the people here, and the memories of the time I spent with them, will remain with me throughout my life.”

By the end of the ceremony, the police station courtyard was crowded not just with people and flowers, but with produce and poultry brought by residents.

For a police chief leaving on a routine government transfer, Harirampur had delivered anything but a routine goodbye.