Be more pro-people
PM asks police
UNB
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the members of police force to be more pro-people changing the colonial attitude, reports UNB. The service of police has to be more pro-people ...change the colonial perception and get integrated with democratic values, she said.The Prime Minister was inaugurating the Police Week-2017 at Rajarbagh Police Lines with the motto Remedy of Drugs and Militancy: Commitment of Bangladesh Police. She directed each and every police personnel to expand their hands of service further with undaunted hearts to help the distressed and helpless people. Talking about terrorism and militancy, she said vested quarters have taken the path of terrorism having failed to win the hearts of people in a democratic way. Bangladesh is moving ahead to emerge as a dignified and self-reliant country in the world. But it is painful to see some local and foreign vested quarters sometimes are engaged in foiling this march forward through various means, she said.
Softhearted youths and juveniles are being pushed towards militancy by confusing them in the name of religion. Theyre being provided with arms by misinterpreting the religion. Theyre provoking them to engage in barbaric activities like killing people through violent attacks, she said.
The Prime Minister handed over awards in four categories to 132 police members, including police officers, for their outstanding performance in 2016.
Of the police personnel, 26 got Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM), while 41 President Police Medal (PPM), 24 BPM-Service and 41 PPM-Service award for their bravery and courage in their services in last one year.
Earlier, the Prime Minister reviewed a spectacular parade of different contingents of Bangladesh Police riding an open jeep. She also took salute.
Hasina also underscored the need for further strengthening the community policing programme to build a peaceful and secured society.
The working areas of the police are being widened day by day in the wake of globalisation, she said adding that the effective steps of Bangladesh Police in rooting out militancy have saved the country from big acts of sabotage and instability in 2016.
The Prime Minister said 21 valiant members of police sacrificed their lives from 2013 to 2015 while facing violence and militancy of the BNP- Jamaat nexus.
Bangladesh police has been playing a laudable role in all national necessities, including resisting destructive and subversive acts of BNP-Jamaat-Shibir nexus, fighting militancy, holding the trial of war criminals and 10th Jatiya Sangsad elections as well as city corporation, upazila and municipality polls, she said.
Elaborating the government measures taken for the development of the police force, Hasina said the number of current manpower of Bangladesh Police is over 1.50 lakh thanks to timely steps of the present government.
Weve created 32,031 posts in police organogram, including 739 cadre posts over the last seven years. Despite that, the number of manpower in the force is not adequate in ratio of the population. Considering this, weve decided to create 50,000 more posts, she said.
Alongside recruitment of more manpower, the Prime Minister said, supply of necessary transports and other equipment on priority basis is under active consideration of the government.
Meanwhile, Hasina said, her government has constituted Industrial Police, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Tourist Police, River Police, the Special Security and Protection Battalion to better serve the countrys people. And people have started getting the positive results of these initiatives.
She said the work on formation of a specialised unit is under process for raising the capability of the police to combat terrorism and militancy. On her arrival at the scene, the Prime Minister was received by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque.
Later, the Prime Minister inaugurated Police Liberation War Museum, Forensic DNA Laboratory of CID, Cyber Crime Investigation Center, Cyber Training Center and a sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and martyred police members in 1971 named Rajarbagh-71. The five day-long Police Week programme also include meetings with the President and the Prime Minister, and holding conference with the Home Minister, annual sports, reunion and annual general meeting of Bangladesh Police Service Association. The Police Week 2017 will conclude on January 27.
