Dhaka, May 21 -- The headquarters of the police's Special Branch (SB) has been left "completely in the dark" about field-level operatives knocking on journalists' doors or phoning them to demand extensive personal data, including their political affiliations.

The intelligence agency's chief, Additional Inspector General of Police Sardar Nurul Amin, suspects that some personnel might be conducting these intrusive inquiries on their own individual initiative.

Over the past few days, several working journalists in Dhaka reported receiving visits or phone calls from individuals identifying themselves as SB operatives.

These agents have been demanding highly sensitive personal information, including social media profile links or IDs, nation...