SPs for all 64 districts finalised by lottery
The interim government has finalised the Superintendents of Police (SPs) for all 64 districts to serve during the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.
The selection was conducted yesterday, Monday, through a lottery held at the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna. They will be posted soon. This information comes from sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police Headquarters.
According to Police Headquarters sources, acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali was present during the lottery at Jamuna yesterday. Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and representatives from the Chief Adviser’s Office were also in attendance.
When contacted today, Tuesday, Additional Inspector General (Administration) of Police Headquarters AKM Awlad Hossain told Prothom Alo that the SPs for 64 districts were finalised through a lottery at Jamuna yesterday. They will be posted once the official order is issued.
Reliable police sources say that officers who had previously served as SPs were excluded from consideration. A list was prepared after screening officers from the 25th, 27th, and 28th batches of the police cadre. The 64 SPs were selected through a lottery from this list.
Multiple sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Headquarters report that, ahead of the national election and in line with the Chief Adviser’s directive to reshuffle field-level officers, a list of eligible officers was handed over to the lottery committee.
It was decided that district postings would be finalised through the lottery process. As a result, the joining of newly appointed SPs in six districts last week was put on hold. The lottery results will now be implemented.
On Saturday, several advisers and senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police met to discuss the reshuffling of Range DIGs, district SPs, and officers in charge (OCs) of police stations.
According to sources, after posting the SPs, OCs will also be appointed through a lottery. A list of honest, impartial, and competent inspectors has already been collected from unit chiefs.
A senior official at Police Headquarters told Prothom Alo that the lottery method was introduced to avoid any controversy surrounding election-related policing. It will help ensure that neutral officers are deployed at the field level.