The police force has made a proposal that the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) be made ‘Chief of Police’, equivalent to a four-star general. Apart from this, demands have also been raised to create 10 IGP posts, including Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner and Director General of RAB, equivalent to grade-1 of secretary rank.
Police officials have raised the demands in a meeting with law minister Anisul Huq, state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain, state minister for public works Sharif Ahmed, chief justice Hasan Foez Siddiqui and cabinet secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain on the last day of Police Week-2023 on Sunday.
Several such meetings to exchange views took place from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm at Rajarbagh Police Lines auditorium in the capital. Commissioners of all metropolitan, deputy inspector generals (DIGs) of all ranges, superintendents of police across the country, heads of various police units, assistant IGPs of police headquarters and additional IGP level officials attended the meetings.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated Police Week with the annual police parade at Rajarbagh Police Lines ground on 3 January, under the theme ‘Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh Police on the side of the people’. Sunday was the last day of the six-day vibrant police week.
Several senior police officials present at the meeting told Prothom Alo that law minister Anisul Huq, state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain and state minister for public works Sharif Ahmed exchanged views with senior police officials from 10:00am to 2:00pm.
After that the officials had a meeting with the cabinet secretary. Later, they meet with chief justice Hasan Foez Siddique from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
Asked about this, the spokesperson of the police headquarters (assistant IGP) Manjur Rahman told Prothom Alo that the senior officers of the police have raised various problems and demands to the minister, state ministers, cabinet secretary and the chief justice who promised to implement them.
According to sources knew about the meeting, a proposal was made to the minister of state for public administration to upgrade the post of IGP as ‘Chief of Police’ and 10 officials as Grade-1 as ‘IGP’.
Police officials said the police chief is now of the rank of a senior secretary. They demanded he be given the power to expend up to Tk 500 million. Apart from this, the police officials demanded that the chief of police be given authorities to dispose of departmental cases against officers up to the 5th grade of police.
A demand was made at the meeting about opening a university and a separate training institute and a sports complex in or outside of Dhaka for the police.
The police officials highlighted their crisis of vehicles. They also made a demand of implementing a separate medical corps or medical service in the police force. A demand was also made for life-time ration facility for the civil stuff who work in police force. They also demanded for returning the power of settling pension facility to deceased police officials to the police headquarters. Currently, the responsibility lies in the hands of divisional commissioners.
State minister for public administration listened to the demands made by the police officials and assured he would take steps to meet the demands and resolve all crises.
Demand of police barrack at court
The police officials made a demand to law minister Anisul Huq of building police barrack at court. Mentioning that the space for keeping case evidences at the court insufficient, they also demanded a larger space for that.
They also demanded allowance for retired police officers for giving deposition at court. Several police officials, who were present at the meeting, said the law minister assured them of taking the demands into consideration and implement those.
In an exchange of views with chief justice Hasan Foez Siddique, the police officials said the High Court has stay orders on many criminal cases which is hindering the investigation and speed of the cases. They said, there should be no chance of excluding any accused from the charge sheet submitted by the investigation officer (at court).
Several police officials, in that meeting with the chief justice, demanded holding the lawyer accountable if any accused remains absconding after taking bill.
Five justices and attorney general AM Amin Uddin were present along with the chief justice in the meeting. The chief justice listened to the demands and assured that directives will be given regarding the logical demands.
IGP as member of SSB
During a meeting with cabinet secretary Mahbub Hossain, the police officials made a demand to include the IGP as a member of Superior Selection Board (SSB), a committee that take decisions on the promotion of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadre officials.
In the justification of the step, the police officials said the IGP can play an important role if he is included as a member of SSB.
The cabinet secretary assured the police officials of taking necessary actions regarding the demands.