Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday said common people are now cooperating with the police in preventing crimes as the force has been able to earn public confidence, reports UNB. “The present police aren’t like the ones 10 years ago. General people are now cooperating with the police in containing terrorism, militancy and illegal drugs as people are now getting confidence in the force,” he told a programme in the capital.

The Ramna Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) organised the cultural programme and discussion at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in the city to mark the ‘Community Policing Day’ for the first time with a goal to strengthen the community policing.

The home minister said police will be able to deliver better services in providing security to society, if the community police can perform properly.

He said the present government has recruited around 80,000 police members in phases and provided them with logistic support and proper trainings after assuming office in 2009.

Asaduzzaman, however, admitted that the police have still some limitations, which will be removed in phases.

He said the government is procuring huge vehicles for the DMP for making its services dynamic. Besides, more vehicles will be provided to the police outside Dhaka in phases so that they can deliver better services, he said.

Chaired by DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah, the programme was addressed, among others, by Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque, DC (Ramna Division) Maruf Hossain and media personality Hasan Imam.

Shahidul said the Community Policing Day was being observed across the country aiming to engage a large number of people in the community policing.

One of main objectives of the community policing is to bring accountability of police to people. The community policing will be successful if the gap between police and people can be reduced, the IGP said.

DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah said it is not possible providing sustainable security without cooperation from people.

“It’ll be possible to prevent terrorism, militancy, illegal drugs and child marriage if local people are united,” he said.

The DMP Commissioner said the police will able to prevent ‘fire terrorism’ in the future with the help of community police.

Earlier in the morning, a colorful rally was brought out from the DMP headquarters marking the day that ended at IDEB, Kakrail.