Police objection lead to change in DNC uniform
The uniform of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) is being changed again. This would be the third time, a change in the uniform of the department is being brought. Home ministry called a meeting on Monday to change the colour of the uniform of the DNC.
Several officials of the department said recurrent change in the uniform is draining public money while also having a negative impact on the morale of the officials. They think that focusing on an unimportant task such as changing uniform colour is affecting the work of the department.
It could not be learnt how much would be spent on changing the agency's uniform. DNC currently has 3,059 officials.
Male DNC officials now wear Turkish blue color cellular fabric shirts, deep navy blue pants and cap bearing DNC’s logo. Female officials wear Turkish blue bush shirts and deep navy blue pants.
This uniform has been worn since 1 September last year. But another government organisation raised objections about the colour of the DNC’s uniform. That organisation reasoned that the DNC's uniform has similarity with its uniform. That organisation demanded the DNC change its uniform. This is the reason for changing the colour of the DNC's uniform.
Documents show that the home minister sent a letter to the DNC on 14 March asking it to change the uniform’s colour. The letter said the DNC's uniform has similarities with uniforms of other government organisations and that’s why the colour of the uniform should be changed.
Several officials of the DNC, however, told Prothom Alo that the uniform is being changed mainly due to objections from police.
DNC formed a five-member committee headed by its additional director general Azizul Islam after receiving the home ministry’s letter. The committee has held several rounds of meetings to determine the colour of the uniform. It has primarily selected five colours and sent the list to the ministry.
This reporter talked to two members of the committee who said they are trying to select a colour which does not have similarities with the uniform of any other organisation.
“We have picked several colours for the uniform of the department and sent it to the home ministry to finalise it. The ministry would finalise the colour,” said the committee’s chief Azizul Islam.
Asked why an objection was raised by another organisation since the existing uniform was picked through a process, he said, “I was not during the finalisation of colour that time. That’s why I cannot make any comment on it.”
Sources said a meeting would be held with stakeholders after the ministry finalises the colour of the uniform to know if anyone has any objection to the proposed colour. The colour of the uniform would be finalised after the meeting.
DNC sources said that after finalising the colour of the new uniform, the rules will also need to be changed. Because, the dress code mandate issued in 2021 for the DNC officials has specified the colour of the uniform. Now the guidelines have to be amended before changing the colour of the uniform. Azizul Islam said it will take some time to change the rules.
Meanwhile, the DNC cannot procure new attire due to this conundrum. Lifetime of a uniform is one year, which is being expired this month. But the department cannot procure new uniform before the decision of changing colour is finalised.
Sources said all officers of DNC from sepoy to inspector used to sport khaki colour uniforms since 2014. But that uniform was changed since the members of the force themselves had reservations with the colour.
The demand for change in the uniform was raised from within the DNC. Khaki uniform was changed through a gazette issued on 23 May in 2021 following discussion with stakeholders and Turkish blue was selected as the new color of uniform. The dress code mandate issued requires officials from additional directors to sepoys to wear the uniform.