Police draw up long list of demands

Police officials are likely to come up with a list of demands in the upcoming Police Week to be held from February 4-8.

The demands include recruiting an additional 75,000 members, upgrading the rank badge of inspector general of police to four-stars, forming a separate division for police in the home ministry and establishing a separate medical college for them.

The police high-ups may place the demands before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is scheduled to start the Police Week, according to several top officials of the Police Headquarters (PHQ).

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will also attend different programmes during the Police Week.

Though the police week is usually held in January, it has been delayed this year due to the national election held on December 30.

The deputy inspector general (DIG), with higher-ranked PHQ officials, range DIGs and police commissioners of different metropolitan areas attended the meeting, officials said.

“Nothing has been finalised. Discussions are underway regarding different proposals relating to the necessity of the police,” SM Ruhul Amin, DIG (Media and Planning) at the PHQ, told The Daily Star yesterday.

Replying to a query, he said the policy-making body discussed that an additional 70 to 75 thousand police members need to be recruited to match other SAARC countries in terms of the police-population ratio.

“We are planning to propose a police-population ratio of 1:600, for which another 70 to 75 thousand force members are required,” the official said.

If the additional forces are recruited, the ratio will be almost similar to that of India and Pakistan, he claimed.

The current ratio in Bangladesh stands at an estimated 1:755.

“Since the police organisation is force-oriented, creation of some posts at a senior level will be brought up [at the meeting]…,” DIG Ruhul Amin said.

He, however, could not say how many posts will be demanded.

“The number has yet not been finalised.

“If the additional forces are recruited, the number of posts will be increased at all levels.”

Currently, the police force has around 2.12 lakh members.

Around 75,000 police members were recruited during the last two tenures of the government.

Asked about the upgrading the IGP’s rank badge to four-stars, Ruhul said it was subject to discussion with the PM.

Currently the rank of IGP is three-stars while the rank of the chief of army is four-stars.

“It will be finalised upon discussion with the prime minister,” he said, adding the issue was being discussed as the size of the force was increasing.

Sources said police high-ups might also demand establishing a separate police division in the home ministry.

DIG Ruhul Amin, however, said demand for creation of a division was not discussed in the recent policy-group meeting.

The need for a separate medical college for police will also be raised.

Last year, police raised the issue of shortage of physicians for the force upon which the PM asked them to form a medical core for the police.

There will also be some demands like for a refreshment allowance from the forces’ welfare trust, officials said.