Barisal police DC suspended

Bribe scam

Jillur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (north) of the Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP), was suspended and closed to the Sylhet police range yesterday for allegedly creating a "bribe fund" for promotion.
Ten other policemen, including three ASIs, of the BMP were suspended for the same reason on Monday.
Shoibal Kanti Chowdhury, BMP Commissioner, said the suspension order was handed down at noon yesterday and came into effect immediately. Rahman will remain attached to the Sylet police range till end of the investigation.
The 10 suspended policemen withdrew Tk 60 lakh from a bank and gave it to Rahman. The suspended DC admitted that he had  been given Tk. 60 lakh, but insisted that the money was for safe-keeping.
A three-member committee, headed by Shoyeb Ahmed, been given Tk. 60 lakh, but insisted that the money was for safe-keeping.
A three-member committee, headed by Shoyeb Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner (headquarters) of the BMP, has been formed to investigate the allegations against the suspended police personnel, the BMP Commissioner said.
Judicial inquiry demanded: The BMP's image has been affected to a great extent by the "bribe fund" scandal, the Commissioner said. What the suspended policemen had done was a crime, and for it the whole force is having to suffer.
The 10 suspended policemen are assistant sub-inspector Anisuzzaman, Monir Hossain, Md Hanif, naik Kobir Hossain, driver Shohidul Islam, Bablu Jamaddar and Dolon Baral, ration-storekeeper Abbasuddin, Arifur Rahman  and constable Tapas Kumar Mandal.
Civil society members said senior BMP officers cannot hide the case. Dr Habibur Rahman, president of the Barisal Manobadhikar Jot, demanded a judicial inquiry into the scam. He insisted that it is not possible for the 10 policemen to create a "bribe fund" and open a bank account without the support of higher-ups. Why was it that the police headquarters first came to know about the scandal and not the BMP, he wondered.
Freedom fighter and civil society leader Enayet Hossen Chowdury said: "We have the right to know the facts."  He demanded that the names of those who would have been beneficiaries of the bribe fund be made public.  
Sources in the BMP said promotion in the force doesn't come easy. It depends on the death and retirement of a member. No new posts have been created since 2006. Every year BMP personnel appear for the departmental promotion test. The names of over 230 are on the waiting list for promotion.
According to the sources, there are 1,306 posts, including 51 for officers, for the 383 square km Barisal metropolitan area with a population exceeding 12 lakh. Of the sanctioned posts, 20 per cent are on leave by rotation. Barring personnel deployed in jobs other than maintaining law and order, there are 499 policemen for four thanas and the police lines.
The BMP Commissioner said they would be sending a proposal to the headquarters for increasing the manpower to at least 5,090 from the present 1,306. There are reports here that 800 posts are likely to be sanctioned for the BMP soon.

 

 

 

Barisal police DC suspended

Bribe scam

Jillur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (north) of the Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP), was suspended and closed to the Sylhet police range yesterday for allegedly creating a bribe fund for promotion. Ten other policemen, including three ASIs, of the BMP were suspended for the same reason on Monday. Shoibal Kanti Chowdhury, BMP Commissioner, said the suspension order was handed down at noon yesterday and came into effect immediately. Rahman will remain attached to the Sylet police range till end of the investigation. The 10 suspended policemen withdrew Tk 60 lakh from a bank and gave it to Rahman. The suspended DC admitted that he had been given Tk. 60 lakh, but insisted that the money was for safe-keeping. A three-member committee, headed by Shoyeb Ahmed, been given Tk. 60 lakh, but insisted that the money was for safe-keeping. A three-member committee, headed by Shoyeb Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner (headquarters) of the BMP, has been formed to investigate the allegations against the suspended police personnel, the BMP Commissioner said. Judicial inquiry demanded: The BMPs image has been affected to a great extent by the bribe fund scandal, the Commissioner said. What the suspended policemen had done was a crime, and for it the whole force is having to suffer. The 10 suspended policemen are assistant sub-inspector Anisuzzaman, Monir Hossain, Md Hanif, naik Kobir Hossain, driver Shohidul Islam, Bablu Jamaddar and Dolon Baral, ration-storekeeper Abbasuddin, Arifur Rahman and constable Tapas Kumar Mandal. Civil society members said senior BMP officers cannot hide the case. Dr Habibur Rahman, president of the Barisal Manobadhikar Jot, demanded a judicial inquiry into the scam. He insisted that it is not possible for the 10 policemen to create a bribe fund and open a bank account without the support of higher-ups. Why was it that the police headquarters first came to know about the scandal and not the BMP, he wondered. Freedom fighter and civil society leader Enayet Hossen Chowdury said: We have the right to know the facts. He demanded that the names of those who would have been beneficiaries of the bribe fund be made public. Sources in the BMP said promotion in the force doesnt come easy. It depends on the death and retirement of a member. No new posts have been created since 2006. Every year BMP personnel appear for the departmental promotion test. The names of over 230 are on the waiting list for promotion. According to the sources, there are 1,306 posts, including 51 for officers, for the 383 square km Barisal metropolitan area with a population exceeding 12 lakh. Of the sanctioned posts, 20 per cent are on leave by rotation. Barring personnel deployed in jobs other than maintaining law and order, there are 499 policemen for four thanas and the police lines. The BMP Commissioner said they would be sending a proposal to the headquarters for increasing the manpower to at least 5,090 from the present 1,306. There are reports here that 800 posts are likely to be sanctioned for the BMP soon.