Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday (Jan 5) reiterated her government’s determination to build Bangladesh Police as a “modern and time-befitting” force to ensure desired services for the people.
“We have been working on making Bangladesh Police as a modern and time-befitting force so that the people can get desired services from the law enforcement agency,” she said.
The PM said this while inaugurating the Police Week-2020 at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka in the morning.
The premier said she regards the expenditure for people and their welfare as an investment. “In the same way, we also consider the allocation for police as an investment, not as expenditure,” she added.
She went on saying that there have been substantive qualitative changes in police and the force is able to achieve the confidence and trust of the people due to huge development activities taken by her government.
She also said, “We will push forward this development pace for the police in days to come.”
On the occasion, an attractive parade was arranged at Rajarbag Police Lines.
The PM inspected the parade and took salute of different contingents of Bangladesh Police.
She later distributed medals to 118 police officials for their outstanding contribution to maintaining the law and order in the society.
Of them, 14 received Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM-gallantry) while 28 got BPM (Service), 20 secured President Police Medal (PPM-gallantry) and 56 awarded PPM (service).
Sheikh Hasina hoped that the awards would motivate the police personnel to be more spirited in discharging their duties, urging the law enforcers to play more proactive role in ensuring road safety and eliminating drugs from the society.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Mohammad Javed Patwary and Additional Inspector General of Police (Admin) Md. Moinur Rahman Chowdhury were present on the dais.
Cabinet members, MPs, senior government officials, leaders of various professional bodies and civil society members joined the function, local media reported.
The PM said her government has taken various steps for the overall development of the police force.
The steps include increasing manpower, imparting proper training, forming special police units, building modern labs, arranging vehicles and modern equipment, allocating lands for police establishments, providing ration and treatment facilities for police personnel, she said.
She also said specialized units in organizational structure of Bangladesh Police such as Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Tourist Police, River Police, Specialized Security and Protection Battalion and Industrial Police have already been formed.
She continued that with the aim of uprooting terrorism from Bangladesh, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), and Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) have also been formed.
The premier said, “We have set up Cyber Police Centre, DNA Lab, Modern Forensic Lab, Automated Finger Print Identification System (AFIS) and modern chemical lab.”
Two battalions of Armed Police and one battalion of RAB have been established and deployed at Coxs Bazar to ensure the security of the Rohingya camps and adjacent areas, she added.
Sheikh Hasina said that her government has established ‘Bangladesh Police Kallyan Trust’ in 2000 for the welfare of police personnel.
“We have given police the Community Bank under the ‘Bangladesh Police Kallyan Trust,” she added.
The premier said her government has sanctioned ration facilities for cent percent police personnel which was only for 20 percent policemen before the Awami League assumed office in 1996.
She also said life-long ration facility for the retired police members is also in special consideration of the government.
The PM said her government has taken effective measures including allocation of lands to establish police stations, outposts, investigation centres, barracks and dormitories.
To ensure treatment facilities for police members, she said “We have taken effective steps to improve Divisional Police Hospitals including the Central Police Hospital in Razarbagh”.
Sheikh Hasina appreciated the police force for their relentless work to ensure road safety.
Stressing the need for raising awareness among the people, the premier asked all concerned to obey the traffic rules.
She said her government has introduced the National Emergency Service-999 which has earned huge popularity under the supervision of Bangladesh Police as they (people) easily avail the services of police, fire service and ambulance by simply dialing 999.
Sheikh Hasina recalled with profound respect the sacrifice of the martyred police members, saying, “The patriotic police personnel of Rajarbagh Police Lines put up the first armed resistance against the Pakistani occupation forces on the fateful night of 25th March in 1971.”
She also remembered 29 police officials who were killed in the mayhem conducted by the BNP-Jamaat alliance in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in the name of so-called movement.
She heavily came down on BNP-Jamaat alliance for killing innocent people by arson attacks.
Appreciating the police force for saving the country from the devastation, the prime minister said “Police put up resistance by risking their lives to ward off the BNP-Jamaat’s mayhem in 2013, 2014 and 2015.”
The police also have played an important role in maintaining continuation of the country’s democracy, she added.
She appreciated Bangladesh Police as it has recently recruited 10,000 new constables in a transparent way setting an imitable example for all.
Stating that Bangladesh has adopted “zero tolerance policy” against terrorism, militancy, corruption and narcotics, the premier said the government is committed to stamp out the menaces from the country.
She highly applauded Bangladesh Police for doing a praiseworthy job to bring the rumor mongers to book for spreading rumors by using social media and other technologies to mislead the people.
The premier has sought all kinds of cooperation from the police as Bangladesh has been advancing fast economically.
She described the year of 2020 as very important for Bangladesh, saying this year, the country is going to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who dreamt of building a “Golden Bangladesh” free from poverty and hunger.
The PM said her government has been working for materializing the dream of Bangabandhu.
She reaffirmed her commitment of making Bangladesh a developed and prosperous one in the South Asia by 2041.
