Police demand independent commission

The top police officials have reiterated their demand for an independent police commission to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The police officials said such a commission was needed to create a service-oriented force and bring it back on the right track. They also raised concerns that the police force would be back at its negative role if an independent commission could not be formed at this time under the rule of the interim government.

The police officials raised various demands, different concerns and other challenges in running the force in a meeting with the chief adviser at his office in the capital’s Tejgaon on Monday.

At least 11 police officials confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

All district superintendents of police (SP), range DIGs (deputy inspector general), metropolitan police commissioners, heads of all police units and all additional IGPs (inspector general of police) attended the meeting.

Some 127 police officials were invited to the meeting. Almost all the invited police officials, except the DIG of MRT police, were present in the meeting.

IGP Baharul Alam, Chattogram range DIG Ahsan Habib and Rajshahi SP Farzana Islam addressed the meeting on behalf of the police.

IGP Baharul Alam stressed on the importance of an independent police commission.

Four other police officials said the IGP mentioned in the meeting that India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have independent police commissions. Such a commission is needed to get the force out of the practices developed during the fascist regime of the Awami League.

The IGP further said the police reform commission also had recommended an independent police commission. However, the recommendation was not clarified in the proposal submitted by the commission.

The police force is in dark about whether that recommendation is being implemented or not. But it is one of the most important factors to ensure stability in the future.

The police officials have said it is the best time to bring back the force on the right track to protect the future generation. The police force might adopt a fascist role again like it did under the Awami League government without any fundamental reform now, they said.

Chattogram range police’s DIG Ahsan Habib in his speech said this is high time the police commission is formed. This commission is the demand of police members of all levels.

He further said people are talking about reforms in various sectors while police itself is bringing the issue of its own reform. But none is paying any heed to police reform.

Police officials of different levels said the issue of forming an “independent police commission” was not clearly stated in the recommendations of the Police Reform Commission, which created grievances among the members of the force.

This dissatisfaction was fueled due to the initiative to implement the recommendations of “administrative system” reform instead of keeping the issue of police reform in the Consensus Commission.

The officials wanted to share these issues in detail with the Chief Adviser on behalf of the force. However, although eight police officers were supposed to speak at the meeting, only three, including the IGP, got the opportunity to speak.

Police officials who participated in the meeting said that they could not raise all the problems and challenges to the Chief Adviser.

An officer who was supposed to speak at the programme, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that there was an exuberance among the police members about the meeting with the Chief Adviser. All wanted to raise various issues to the Chief Adviser. Subject-wise presentations were also prepared for the meeting. However, the fundamental issues could not be raised as the officials did not get opportunity to speak.

Some police officials present at the meeting said that the Chief Adviser talked about an assessment of the law and order situation at the district level during the meeting.

Those who will do well in that evaluation will be rewarded. They will be given priority in terms of promotion to good positions.

He has also given special importance to assessing the skills of the district police.

Various problems of the police came up in the meeting with the Chief Adviser. Among these, the issues of housing, vehicles and working environment have been given special priority.

According to the police, these problems have emerged as major challenges in maintaining the law and order situation in the changed circumstances.

Demands were also made in the meeting to increase the number of female police members and introduce a “day care” system for them.

Superintendent of police (SP) in Rajshahi, Farzana Islam told Prothom Alo, “We informed the Chief Adviser about the accommodation problem for the police force and other issues and challenges of female police members. We especially mentioned the housing problem of police members from constables to sub-inspectors (SI). We also mentioned the necessity of arranging potable water and washroom facilities for the traffic police members, especially the female traffic police members.”

In his speech, the IGP mentioned that there was a crack in people’s trust in the police due to disproportionate use of force in the student-people uprising.

As a result, people’s grievances in policing increased, he added.

In some cases, people took laws into their own hands. Police members came under attacks from rowdy people many times since 5 August 2024.

According to him, the criminals are grabbing the chance and engaging in different types of crimes. Besides, many crimes are being committed at the instigation of the fallen force.

The IGP said legal actions are being taken against the police members who were involved with oppression, enforced disappearances, and killing on behalf of the fascist government.

He mentioned that as of now 82 out of 136 police members, who were specifically found to be involved in different cases, have been brought to book.

The IGP also claimed that an analysis of crimes committed in the last seven months shows the tendencies of one or two types of crimes have slightly increased.

Following the meeting with the chief adviser, the police officials went to the police headquarters.

There, IGP Baharul Alam directed them to be more cautious and sincere for improving the law and order situations across the country.