Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the Jamaat-Shibir activists are now trying hard to disrupt the trial of the war criminals and launching planned attacks on the police personnel.
“I believe, every member of the police forces will be able to foil this evil design (of Jamaat-Shibir) and establish the rule of law with patience and courage,” she said while inaugurating a three-day programme on Centenary celebration of Sarda Police Academy in Rajshahi.
The prime minister also directed the members of Bangladesh Police to be more vigilant in protecting public life and property with due emphasis on upholding human rights.
She said the police forces should play important role in helping the government to attain its goal of turning Bangladesh into a middle income country through implementing the ‘Vision 2021’.
Hasina mentioned that responding to the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh nujibur Rahman the members of the police forces forged resistance and fought against the Pakistani occupation forces.
She recalled the supreme sacrifices made by the members of the police forces on the black night of 25th March in 1971 at the Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka during the surprise crackdown by the Pakistani military.
They also sacrificed their lives across the country including at the Sarda Police Academy during the nine-month war of independence, she said.
The prime minister mentioned that in recognition of their huge sacrifices, the present government for the first time distributed’ Independence Award 2011’ (Swadhinata Puroskar) to the members of the police forces.
The present government, she said, has brightened the image of the country abroad by containing terrorism and militancy with iron hand in the last four years.
Hasina said that initiatives are underway to form a unit of National Bureau of Counter-Terrorism and expressed her strong belief that this specialised unit will play an effective role in combating militancy and terrorism.
She mentioned that the Rank Badge for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) which was introduced by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been reinstated after 28 years.
The prime minister said considering the importance of training of the members of the police forces, the present government has taken steps to turn the Sarda Police Training Academy into a ‘centre of excellence’ and has also gave approval to set up 30 more in-service training centres.
She also mentioned that the present government has already created over 25,000 posts including 465 cadre posts while initiatives are underway to create 32,000 new posts including 733 cadre posts in the police department,
Hasina said that her government is implementing various other programmes including procurement of logistics and equipment to modernise the police forces,.
In this regard, she mentioned the procurement of 2,691 vehicles and construction of 53 buildings for police forces including 37 thanas and four investigation centres.
Besides, she said, 158 more buildings including 22 barracks, 28
thanas, 16 investigation centers, seven complexes of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and 50 highway outposts are under construction at different places.
The prime minister mentioned the present government increased the amount of assistance for each of the wounded police members from Tk 50,000 to Tk 100,000 while Tk 500,000 from Tk 300,000 for the family of each police member who dies on duty.
Besides, she said, the government has formed two security and protection battalion units. For ensuring security at the Airport, armed police battalion has been deployed and initiatives have been taken to establish a technology based and automated permanent Airport Armed Police Battalion.
Processes are also underway to form tourist police, campus police and marine police to deal with multifarious crimes and offences, she added.
Mentioning Bangladesh as the highest contributor of police in the UN Peacekeeping Mission, Hasina said that members of Bangladesh Police are working in such missions with dignity.
She also mentioned about the women Police Unit working in Congo and Haiti.
Earlier, on her arrival at the Police Academy, the Prime Minister was received by State Minister for Home Affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandaker and Principal of the academy Nayeem Ahmed.
A smartly turned out police continent presented the guard of honour on the occasion.
The prime minister inspected the heritage parade and took salute. She also released commemorative postal stamps published on the occasion of the Centenary Celebration of the Police Academy.
S0urce: The Daily Star
