Police seek to end political interference

Under the Awami League government, there has been large-scale irregularities, including transaction of money, in promotions, postings, transfers, appointments, awards, and disciplinary action in the police force. Also, pervasive political interference affected the force’s internal discipline and professionalism significantly.

Now, the police demand an independent commission to formulate some specific policies and run the force accordingly, in order to prevent recurrence of the recent predicament. These issues have been discussed in a recent meeting of the police reform commission with the senior police officers. 

For rendering the police into a service-oriented force, the senior officers emphasised ensuring transparency in professional evaluation, putting an end to political interference, and preventing financial transactions in promotions as well as transfers.

At the same time, they stressed digging into the core setbacks, resolving the existing issues, and exploring the reasons behind the force’s failure in meeting the people’s aspirations. The police, they believe, can be turned into a truly pro-people force if the issues are addressed properly. 

The meeting took place in the police headquarters on 15 October, where around 50–60 officers, with ranks between additional superintendent of police and additional inspector general of police, from different units were present, in addition to the inspector general of police (IGP), Mainul Islam. 

Eight members of the police reform commission, including its chief Safar Raj Hossain, attended the meeting, but there was no representative from students.

According to the meeting minutes and associated sources, the session opened with a Powerpoint presentation on the current status of the police force and areas in need of reforms, This was followed by discussions. 

At one point, a commission member raised the issue of the superior selection board (SSB), which oversees promotions to the ranks of deputy inspector general (DIG) of police and above. 

The police officers said the SSB does not evaluate officers properly, as it does not include the IGP.  They also mentioned irregularities and illegal transactions in promotions, appointments, and transfers during the previous government. 

According to them, the former home minister, with his syndicate, used to control illegal transactions for promotions, appointments, and transfers.  A joint secretary from the public security division, four deputy secretaries, and a former additional secretary (employed as the minister’s special assistant) were in the syndicate. 

This led to a breakdown of internal discipline, with some officers gaining undue influence, with impunity for disobeying the superiors. Some of the influentials were involved in recruitment of sub-inspectors and constables. 

The officials laid emphasis on formulating time-befitting regulations for recruitment, transfers, and promotions, in order to restore order in the force. They suggested taking lessons from the draft police ordinance 2007, in addition to other previous commissions and committees. At the same time, they suggested expanding the commission to include a judge and a media representative, alongside a student representative. 

A source within the commission confirmed to Prothom Alo that the reform body plans to add two new members – one to come from the judiciary through the law ministry and the other from students.  

Apart from formal meetings, commission members have been regularly consulting among themselves. 

In this regard, Safar Raj Hossain said his commission listened the different experiences of the police and their suggestions to resolve the crisis. Later, the commission will consider the issues while preparing the reform proposals. 

Also,  they will recommend bringing the police forces to best practices, in light of experiences in developed countries, including the United Kingdom and Japan. The draft police ordinance 2007 will be considered too, if it is provided. 

At the meeting, the police officers called for a balance of power in the operation of the force. According to them, the police force encountered illegal political interference at different times, and their regular activities were disrupted due to administrative complexities and lengthy decision-making. 

The police are responsible for maintaining law and order, but their authority over human resource management, logistics, and incentives remains limited. It is affecting the entire force. 

The police officers suggested inclusion of the IGP in the SSB to ensure fair promotions, while the commission members endorsed it and emphasised determining some parameters for promotion. 

Besides, the meeting discussed the need for introducing a national police commission, to ensure an impartial, effective, and professional police force in the field. 

Some members suggested taking lessons from the commission in Sri Lanka. A member of the commission told Prothom Alo that in southeast Asia, Sri Lanka maintains an effective power balance in operation of the police force. The police commission is accountable to a parliamentary committee there, instead of the home minister. Therefore, no collapse takes place within the police force in cases of political changeover. “We can take lessons from their experience.” 

The meeting also discussed incorporating in the police commission four representatives from the civic society, four parliamentarians from ruling and opposition parties, and 10-12 members from different strata of society. 

Reform commission member and former additional IGP Sheikh Sajjad Ali said, “We aim for a police force free from political interference and corruption. This is essential if we want to deliver the expected services. Cooperation from all stakeholders are crucial to implement this vision.”

Among other suggestions are forming environment police, cyber police, financial crime unit, and some other units. The meeting highlighted the issue of scaling up the police’s capacity in containing cyber crimes, financial crimes, and transnational crimes. 

The police officers demanded that the authorities consider making adequate allocations for the force. 

Currently, women constitute 8 per cent of the police’s total manpower. The meeting laid emphasis on increasing recruitment of female officers. 

According to the meeting minutes, proposals for necessary amendments to different laws and provisions, including colonial era Police Act - 1861 and Police Regulation of Bengal, were also raised.

Speaking regarding this, the members of the police reform commission said several provisions of the Police Act of 1861 are inconsistent with the spirit of the liberation war and student movement against discrimination of 2024. Besides, the several existing laws, which endorse discrimination, need to be amended. Therefore it is essential to form a commission to amend different laws and provisions, including the Police Act, in order to build a modern and people-friendly police force.

The commission members also stressed focusing more on service oriented activities such as community policing beat policing, open house day, desk for women, children, elderly and disabled persons and victim support centre.

Additional IGP (CID) Md Matiur Rahman Sheikh told Prothom Alo, “The crime patterns have changed. As a result, the police now face newer challenges every now and then, especially cyber and financial transnational crimes. I have asked the commission to keep these in consideration while preparing the reform proposal.”

Common people are usually afraid or reluctant to approach police stations for any service. So it is imperative to take measures to overcome this to gain people’s confidence. The commission members have suggested including these issues in the reform proposal.

There were also talks on putting an end to the practice of harassing people while questioning them as part of the investigations. Besides, necessary initiatives for enough allocation to bring the witnesses and body management also came up in the discussion. Besides, the commission members also emphasised on being cautious so that no citizens are subjected to excessive force or torture by the police in future.   

Former chief of the police’s Special Branch (SB), Baharul Alam has the experience of actively being involved in the police reform process abroad.

He said, “An independent operating commission or authority is needed to keep the police free of political influence. That commission must include competent and efficient people. Illegal transactions will stop by default if the commission starts recruiting on the basis of competence and efficiency. It will also develop a culture of accountability within the force. It will allow the authority to put the right people in the right place. If the authorities adopt a strict policy to reward the good and to punish the offenders, then it will be possible to restore order within the police force.”