Masum Billah
Police is an integral part of any modern and democratic state. Hence the relations between the police and citizens should have been very friendly and mutually beneficial. To make the people aware of the roles and responsibilities of police, their different units, way of serving the nation; and in the same way to remind the police force of their duties towards state and its citizens, the renewal of their vow towards their profession, getting rewarded for their valiant and noble activities police week is being observed every year for decades. The Police Week has been observed between March 6 and 9.Marking the inauguration of the Police Week 2014 an attractive parade of members of different units of the police was held with the Prime minister reviewing the same. When smartly dressed police contingents display their shows at Rajabagh Police Line, many questions come to public mind how far the police are friendly towards the common people, how much people are benefitted by the role of police, how much help the people seek from the police, what neutral role the police play towards the common people.
Many pictures flash upon before my mind’s eye when I witness the observation of police week on TV screen and listen to so many good words uttered by the guests there, and think how miles apart are the reality and this show. When I was a school going boy at Babugonj Pilot High School, Barisal I used to witness almost every day how the police force rejoiced over the inhuman torture of people in the field of our thana which stands next to our school compound. I thought then that the duty of the police was to nab the ‘thief and dacoits’ and to give them such kind of physical inhuman punishment. I did not know then that police can arrest anyone on any case. We the students thought that people who were undergoing physical torture as they committed crimes like ‘stealing or dacoity’. So, their heart-rending cry did not touch the heart of the spectators who used to see that tortuous scenes. I grew up and studied in the university.
One day I was walking beside Rajarbagh Police Lines and found one police officer who happened to be from our Babugonj thana. I felt elated to see him after a pretty long time and was hesitating to talk to him but my mind did not allow to do so as the common notion prevails that ‘it is not good to talk to police men, they are hard nuts to crack.’ Until and unless we can remove this sort of notion about police force of the country, what is the necessity of so much pomp and grandeur over observing the police week?
Our Prime Minister adorned the badge of police Padak 2014 to 105 officials and constables in four categories for their outstanding contribution to providing services to the people and demonstrating their professional excellence. The police must be awarded because of their hazardous, courageous, sincere, honest and impartial work. Unfortunately, our police force have utterly failed to grasp these adjectives in the true sense of the term. Their lenience towards the ‘powerful section’ of the society has given rise to thousands of questions, and mistrust and distrust among the common men. Common men never want to face police whatever problem they face. This is true that ‘ going to police for getting the problems solved means multiplying the same. ‘So, common and peace loving people try to stand thousands of yards from the police. Whatever, Padak or prize or award they receive out of the people’s money hardly attracts people’s attention. Thirty six police men were awarded ‘Bangladesh Police Padak and sixty nine were given ‘President Police Padak’. Will it bring any qualitative change in the police force? Will the common people go to them without fear and taking them as friends?
Undoubtedly very talented officers work in the police force who can bring about positive changes in the society and country. They can play very impartial role without being lenient to any corrupt or powerful section as their power is talent, honesty and love towards the country.
Who does not know that police stations are used to shield corruption and as centres of harassment of ordinary citizens? So, why they will go there? But the state machinery compel even the honest citizens to go to them to give them bribe. How? You need to make a passport. And you need a police clearance. How you will do that? Giving them bribe. Who does not know it? Now should we make only the police force responsible for this ? Of course not.
The people who look after them and control them must have a greater responsibility to deal with these affairs. And I want to request the force itself that you can earn people’s trust and love and you have lots of scopes to serve the
The posts of sub-inspector and sergeant were upgraded to class II from class IIIand the posts of inspector elevated to the class-one from second class. It’s good but their professional development, their training on humanity, psychology, and patriotism must be given serious consideration. Only raising the position does not ensure ‘sincere and honest service towards the people. She said her government introduced the IGP rank Badge for police which was initiated long before. This is a good initiative of the government. Constable to sub-inspectors are getting 30 percent risk allowances. We appreciate this step of the government as they have to undergo many risky operations and so they deserve it and it may lessen corruption. The declaration of recruiting another 50,000 police force has given rise to many questions again. Is it necessary to worsen the already weak economy? What’s the necessity of it?
Does the increase of police ensure the smooth law and order situation of the country? In many countries you will find no police force on the streets but the rate of crime registers the lowest in those countries. Do we see any police action before any criminal incident? Police comes after the incident to make the situation worse. Many innocent people become the victims of their wrath.
This is a common practice which must be dealt with judiciously. Prime Minister said 30, 833 new posts of police including 614 cadre posts were created. Industrial police, Bureau of Investigation, Tourist Police, Maritime police and two Security and Protection battalions were constituted during the reign of this government. But we advocated many a time to introduce ‘Campus Police’ to bring back normalcy in all the higher educational institutions of the country which have been plagued by many ills causing serious academic disruption. Real teaching learning atmosphere has disappeared many years back from the campuses due to nasty student politics. But for some unknown reasons ‘ Campus Police’ has not yet been introduced. Apart from looking to the traditional duties police have to give focus on cyber crimes, money laundering, drugs trafficking, smuggling, woman and child trafficking, protecting marine and forest resources. To make them prepared to run these duties, they must be given special training in these fields.
It is very difficult job for the home ministry to run so many departments including Border Guards Bangladesh, Anwar and VDP, Fire Service and Civil Defense, Jail Police, RAB, Industrial Police, Tourist Police and River Police smoothly. We appreciate this concern of the Prime Minister. We want Border Guards Bangladesh and RAB to be included in the ministry of Defense. Ansar VDP and Fire Service and Civil Defense should be in a separate ministry. And the rest of the departments should be in the home ministry.
The Prime Minister termed police as the symbol of peace, security and discipline. We all expect that police should acquire these adjectives. Let the vow and motto of this year’s Police Week be ‘every thana a safe resort for common people proving all notions regarding police wrong.’
(Masum Billah is manager, BRAC Education Programme and vice-president: Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association ( BELTA) Email: masumbillah65@gmail.com)
