The authorities have postponed the passing out parade of traine assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Sardah of Rajshahi.
The parade was scheduled for 10:00 am this morning, to mark the culmination of training for ASPs recruited through the 40th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination.
The home affairs adviser, Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, was supposed to take the salute and inspect the parade. Senior officials of law enforcement agencies and other government services, dignitaries, and journalists were invited to attend the function.
However, it was announced on Saturday night that the parade was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.
Faisal Hasan, senior public relations officer of the home ministry, said the ministry did not issue any official invitation letters for the parade. As letters were distributed locally, the postponement of the parade too was communicated from there.
The home affairs adviser already reached the police academy on Saturday night, along with inspector general of police (IGP) Mainul Islam, director general of RAB AKM Shahidur Rahman, and other senior officials.
Officers recruited through the BCS police cadre undergo one year of basic training at the police academy in Rajshahi. The passing out parade marks the conclusion of the training, before taking up field assignments.
The recruitment process under the 40th BCS was completed under the Awami League government.
Salahuddin Ammar, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement at Rajshahi University, alleged on social media that at least 62 Chhatra League leaders had been appointed to the police cadre under the 40th BCS. He also said he was rejecting the invitation to attend the training parade as a guest.
In a separate post, he later wrote, “The Police Academy in Sardah canceled the programme. The event, which has been ongoing for the last few days, has been canceled. The home affairs adviser has been in Rajshahi since yesterday, still the cancellation has just been communicated. Did you understand something? We will never accept Awami fascists. Let there be an investigation, so that competent individuals are appointed."