Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses DGFI members at Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday. Photo: Focus BanglaPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced special allowance for the members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) on Wednesday.
The DGFI members will get 30% of their basic salaries as the special allowance and it will be effective from current month.
She announced it during a meeting with DGFI officials at Dhaka Cantonment.
Criticising the previous governments for using DGFI in political purposes, Hasina reiterated her firm stance not to use the force for political purpose.
She said the vested quarter that grabbed the state power illegally violating the constitution used the force rampantly to cling to power.
As a result, she continued, the reputation of the DGFI got tarnished before the country’s people.
“People have lost their confidence and trust in the organisation,” she said.
Hasina said that after forming the government in 1996 the Awami League government decided not to use the DGFI in political purposes and took effective steps in regaining its glory.
“But unfortunately the BNP-Jamaat government after 2001 again used the organisation politically,” she said.
The Prime Minister also suggested the members of the organisation to work sincerely keeping confidence in their leadership, maintaining mutual trust, fraternity, dutifulness and discipline.
Mentioning their special cooperation through providing prior information for smooth holding of the trial of war criminals and maintaining law and order, Hasina said the DGFI members also played an important role in helping the law enforcers to combat militancy.
She also mentioned the role of the organisation along with other similar organisations in maintaining law and order in the country during various social and religious events like Eid, Puja and Pahela Boishakh.
Hasina also appreciated the role of the force in containing the activities of various militant organisations through providing intelligence report.
“We want to maintain good relations with all our neighbors. Like other forces of the country, the DGFI should be well-equipped to launch counter-attacks if we are attacked by others,” she added.
Prime Minister said undemocratic rulers played duck and drake with the fate of the people in the past and her government would never allow anybody to do the same in the future.
She listed various measures of her government for the welfare of the civil and military members of the force.
Sheikh Hasina said her government promoted 158 civilian officers and employees, created posts of 634 in the structure and introduced digital technology in office management.
Hasina said Bangladesh is becoming self-reliant in various sectors and the country would certainly achieve prosperity if the democratic system could be maintained.
Later, Sheikh Hasina unveiled the new monogram of the DGFI.
Earlier on her arrival, the Prime Minister was received by the PM’s security affairs adviser Major General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and DGFI directorate general Major General Akbar Hossain.
Source: Prothom Alo
