Work to protect democracy, PM asks police

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday asked the police personnel to work with professionalism to protect the country's hard- earned independence along with maintaining the law and order situation an upholding the democracy in the country.

“You have to protect the independence achieved through the 24-year long struggle by the Father of the Nation and in exchange for blood of your predecessors, from all sorts of attacks,” she said.

The premier came up with the plea while opening the Police Week-2022 at a function held at Rajarbag Police Line in the city, joining virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence in the capital.

She added: “My belief is that each member of the police force will work with professionalism and carry out pro-people service to maintain the country's law and order and uphold democracy.”

She said that the police force quickly responds to the people's call through 999 service, adding, “The quick response from the police through 999 has increased people's confidence and belief in the police force.”

Sheikh Hasina said her government has been providing all the required modern facilities and transportation alongside imparting training to the police personnel to render quick services to the people.

The premier said purchasing two helicopters for the police is now under process.

She also extended her thanks to the policemen for standing beside with people by risking life during the global Covid-19 Pandemic.

The Police Week-2022 is being observed in the country this year with the theme “Skilled Police, Prosperous Country, Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh.”

Different police contingents staged a spectacular parade led by police superintendent Md Saleh Uddin to mark the police week.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on behalf of the prime minister visited the parade and took salute, riding on an open jeep.

On behalf of the prime minister, the home minister handed over the police awards in four categories to 230 policemen for their outstanding performance in 2020 and 2021. Nine of them were awarded posthumously.

A total of 115 members of police and RAB have been adorned with the award of the BPMs and PPMs in 2020 and 2021 each.

In 2020, of the 115 awardees, 15 of them received the BPM-gallantry and 25 the PPM-gallantry awards while 25 got BPM-Service and 50 the PPM-Service awards for their outstanding performance in respective fields.

In 2021, of the 115 awardees, 15 received the BPM-gallantry, 25 the PPM-gallantry, 25 the BPM-Service and 50 the PPM-Service awards.

RAB Director General and Additional Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was among the awardees.

Sheikh Hasina greeted the awardee police personnel and hoped that it would inspire others in the force to follow the footprints of them.

Spelling out various measures taken by the Awami League government for the overall development of police, she said that they have raised facilities regarding housing, ration, healthcare and providing training and supplying of necessary vehicles and other equipment to the police.

The prime minister said the budget for the police was only Tk 400 crore when they assumed office in 1996.

But, later they made the amount double and introduced a risk allowance, she said.

During their 1996-2001 periods, she said they, for the first time, appointed a female police officer as a superintendent of police, formed a police welfare trust giving Taka 5 crore seed money, established 25 police stations, 86 investigation centres, 58 highway police outposts, 150 police camps and 10 police outposts.

The premier said at that time they appointed 803 sub inspectors, 507 sergeants, and 14,680 constables, adding that her government has also set up the Police Staff College in 2000.

After coming to power in 2009, she said they have created 82,583 new posts in the police force alongside forming special police units like tourist police, industrial police, the Police Bureau of Investigation, anti-terrorism, counter-terrorism and transnational crime.

The premier said her government has also established Rangpur and Mymensingh range, one armed police battalion in airport and two armed police battalions in Cox's Bazar, three battalions for RAB, 30-inservice training centres, 62 police stations, 95 investigation centres, one police outpost and 999 unit after assuming office in 2009.

She said they have reintroduced a rank badge for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and created two posts of grade-1 and 11 of grade-2, 52 DIG, 159 additional DIG, 402 police supers and 800 for additional police super posts.

She said that her government promoted 215 additional police supers to police supers, 253 senior assistant police supers to additional SPs and elevated the posts of sub inspectors and sergeants to second grade from third grade while the posts of inspectors were made first class from second class.

The prime minister thanked the police personnel for their successes in controlling the BNP-Jamaat sponsored violence, sabotage and arson attacks to kill the innocent people and destroy the state property, recalling deaths of police personnel in those attacks.

 BSS/MMA/