Action fails to deter Barisal cops from crime
Illegal activities continue to be committed by some personnel in the Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP) and district police despite departmental action against them. A total of 270 policemen, including constables and Sub-Inspectors were punished for their involvement in various crimes in the BMP and district police last year. Among them, 227 were officers and 43 constables for crimes related to toll collection, drug peddling, repression of women, harassment of couples, delay in forwarding cases and others. After serving the punishment, the cops are back in service.
BMP set up a probe committee last year after receiving allegations of police misconduct, said Md. Abu, Assistant Commissioner and spokesman of Barisal Metropolitan Police. The panel report, stating that a large number of personnel were involved in crimes, named 155 policemen of BMP, including 71 Sub-Inspectors, 49 Assistant Sub-Inspectors and 27 constables. The punishment handed down was qualified as heavy, such as dismissal, demotion, cut in increments and light punishment, such as issuing a warning. One Sub-Inspector was handed heavy punishment and 78 light, two ASIs received heavy and 47 light punishment, while nine Constables received heavy and 18 light.
Similarly, a total of 114 policemen, including 65 SI, 31 ASI and 16 constables were penalised in Barisal district in the last year.
Anusur Rahman, Additional Police Superintendent and spokesmen of the district police, said, Among those punished, three Assistant Sub-Inspectors and five constables received heavy punishment and 60 SIs, 27 ASIs and 10 constables received light punishment. Departmental action is pending against six policemen here. Both spokespersons said motivational programmes are underway to change the mindset of those punished, but agreed that fresh misdemeanours continue to take place.
On February 4, BMP suspended Sub-Inspector Rehanuddin of Barisal Airport Police Station for snatching money and demanding bribe, accusing two businessmen of peddling drugs. Action was taken against him after a report submitted by a probe committee in response to a charge filed on February 2 by Moksedur Rahman, a businessman of Ward 22 in the city.
The businessman was meeting his friend Salauddin for dinner at the Allardan Hotel in Nathullabad bus terminal area, after withdrawing Tk 20,000 from a Bikash account, when they were accosted by SI Rehanuddin and taken to the adjacent Dhanshiri Hotel, where he physically assaulted them and demanded Tk 50,000 to release them, claiming he found Yaba tablets in their possession, said Abu Sayeed, Assistant Commissioner and spokesman of BMP.
Then BMP authority, suspended SI Rehanuddin from service after he was indicted by a one-member probe committee led by Azadur Rahman, Assistant Commissioner BMP. When this correspondent visited Moksedur Rahmans home in the Zia Sarak area of the city this morning, he found the complainant had fled the spot. Dr Habibur Rahman, President of Manobadhikar Jote Barisal district committee, said departmental punishment of police does not serve its purpose since the penalized cops return to service.
