Nature of police demand changes
Moving away from asking only for little things, police in the last three police weeks have been demanding more power and repeal of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, which concerned rights activists and legal experts.
Until 2014, police used to ask for things like upgrading posts, mobile phone bills, uniform allowance, medical facilities, funds for buying computers and vehicles, and residential facilities.
But in the last three years, they have been placing demands, either before the prime minister or the home minister, for mobile courts under the SPs, separate division under the home ministry to be run by police officials, and scrapping of the act.
Their focus shifted due to the government's growing dependence on police, who are often used for the government's political agenda, legal experts and rights activists said.
During the just concluded police week, the prime minister spent around five and a half hours on the opening day with the police and listened to some policemen. An additional superintendent of police demanded repeal of the act that was placed in parliament by a ruling party lawmaker who himself was a victim of torture.
“Due to the government's increasing reliance on the law enforcement agency, it is only natural that law enforcers will demand more and more power, privileges, and facilities,” eminent jurist Shahdeen Malik told The Daily Star recently.
Regarding the repeal of the act, Malik said the police might have some reasons for asking for this but this law was enacted to provide punishment for custodial torture and death. Their demand for repeal indirectly demands the freedom to torture and cause death, he added.
Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, told The Daily Star, “This may be a reflection of the intent of the law enforcement agency to justify use of higher levels of power than they are capable of with their professional and technical skills and to protect excessive use of force that they are often alleged of.”
Questions might be raised if such demands include parallel provisions for higher level of accountability and professional integrity in the police service, he said.
“Accountability is particularly important in a monopolised political space where police are perceived to be often used for promoting partisan political agenda at the expense of public interest,” added Iftekhar.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) Executive Director (acting) Nur Khan Liton said police were mainly used for political and party agenda that was why they were placing such demands rather than fixing their internal problems, like rations and allowances, as they want to keep their activities beyond accountability.
Mohammad Nurul Huda, a former inspector general of police, told The Daily Star, “It is not that police should only demand better allowances; other demands can be placed as they have to work with a lot of limitations.”
However, the demand for repealing the act was a “misplaced emphasis”, he said, adding that torture itself was an offence and that the penal code mentioned the punishment for it in several places.
The demand for its repeal should not have been made, he said.
Mokhlesur Rahman, additional inspector general (admin and operation) of police headquarters, argued that they placed those demands that create obstructions to performing their duty and that they want to increase the capacity of the force and speed up their service deliveries.
“We want to create a partnership with people and to take our services to remote areas so that people can come to us with their problems,” he said.
Regarding allegation raised by rights activists and legal experts, Mokhlesur said the police were often accused of that as they work in the field following the rules and laws. “If someone is unhappy with our work done following the rules, we have nothing to say. It is not possible to work and make everyone happy,” he told The Daily Star.
About making the government happy, Mokhlesur said it was mandatory to ensure satisfaction of the government and service seekers. If the government was happy with their job they get inspired to do better, he said.
During the police week a year ago, officials demanded amendment to the “Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act” with the provision for the police itself to probe complaints filed under the act.
Even in 2015, police submitted proposals to the home ministry for bringing major changes to the law, and sought safeguards for law enforcers but never made a strong demand to scrap it.
In 2015 police week, their major demands were mobile courts run by two magistrates under the superintendents of police in districts, and legal permission for eavesdropping on phone calls. In 2016, they sought formation of the home ministry division run by them.
Interestingly, police started placing such demands after the government in 2014 police week upgraded the IG post to the level that of a senior secretary. The government also promoted two additional IG posts to grade one. The sub-inspector and inspector posts were also upgraded to second class and first class positions.
In 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 police weeks, police officials' prime demand was the upgrade of the IG's post to the level of a three-star general from a two-star.
Other major demands include welfare trust for police freedom fighters, setting up of DNA lab in Dhaka, mobile phone bills, uniform allowance, medical facilities, funds for computers, more manpower, rules for providing VIP security, permissions for transport requisitions and some posts for police in foreign embassies.
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