Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged all, including the members of Bangladesh Police, to remain alert round the clock so that terrorism and militancy could never reemerge in the country.
“I’ll urge all to remain alert so that terrorism and militancy could never reemerge in Bangladesh,” she said.
The Prime Minister said while addressing the officials of Bangladesh Police at an evaluation meeting at the International Conference Centre of the Prime Minister’s Office marking the Police Week-2014.
Hasina also revealed her plan to recast the Home Ministry to further ease its services to the common people citing its huge task comprising various forces like police, BGB, Rab, Ansar & VDP, Fire Service and Civil Defense.
“It’s very tough to run such vast tasks properly under one ministry. We’ve a plan on how to fully reorganise the ministry through setting up separate divisions. We’ll have to rearrange the entire Home Ministry,” she added.
PM’s Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Home Secretary CQK Mustak Ahmed, IGP Hasan Mahmud Khondoker and Additional IGP AKM Shahidul Haque were, among others, present on the occasion.
Hasina also urged the police to gain trust and confidence of the common people.
Extending her heartfelt thanks to the members of the police alongside the Armed Forces, administration, BGB, RAB, Ansar & VDP, for tackling with great patience the wraths of the BNP-Jamaat centering the 10th parliamentary elections, Hasina said it was an example that a government in Bangladesh could properly run the country till the last date in the previous term where the police played a major role despite braving various adversities.
Hasina said after assuming office by the present government through the January 5 polls, trust and confidence have been restored among the common people and those have to be maintained by the police force as it is their duty to ensure people’s rights, as well as ensuring a safe and peaceful environment for them.
She reiterated that the government would appoint additional 50,000 manpower to the police force, and it would be done in phases so that people could get better services.
Noting that the government has successes in curbing smuggling as well as women and children trafficking, Hasina said that still there is more to do as well as directed the police force to take stern actions in saving the country from the clutch of drug addiction.
Responding to the various demands from the police officials, she said that number of grade posts would be increased gradually in phases while there would be decisions on the arrangement of vehicles for the police.
Mentioning that she herself has fulfilled many demands of the police, Hasina said that whatever necessary for the police force would be made available so that they could properly tackle terrorist and militant activities.
Highlighting her government’s various steps to modernize the Bangladesh police, she said that initiative has been taken to form Police Bureau of Counter Terrorism Unit to combat terrorism, industrial police unit has already been formed to ensure peace and security in the industrial belts while Airport Armed Police Battalion has been formed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to ensure security to the country’s major airport.
Such police battalions would be installed in all the international airports of the country, she added.
Turning to the January 5 polls, Hasina said that many did not want the election to be held. But, the aim of the Awami League government was to hold the January 5 election to uphold the constitution and maintain the continuity of democracy.
In this connection, she mentioned that some 5,853 elections at different tiers were held during the tenure of the previous AL government where each and every election was held in a free, fair and neutral manner for which the credit also goes to the police force.
“In the last five years, Bangladesh has emerged as a country of immense potentialities from a frustrated one. Now Bangladesh is a role model of development across the world,”
Narrating the mayhem unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir men over the last few months centering the last national election when some 17 policemen sacrificed their lives, Hasina recalled their contributions with gratitude.
Source: UNB Connect
