Not possible for police alone, says IGP

It is not possible for the law enforcers alone to eliminate drugs and militancy from the country, said Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque yesterday.

To deal with the menaces, support from family and society and awareness are mandatory, he added.

The IGP made the comments at a press briefing organised on the occasion of inaugurating a new media centre and Police Week 2018 at Police Headquarters in the capital.

He said it is tough to stop the inflow of Yaba, the biggest drug-related threat, as it comes from Myanmar with whom Bangladesh shares 90-100km of its border.

But the rate of cases filed over Yaba seizure from 2013 to 2017, which is 287,254, shows that police is succeeding, the IGP added. Even police officials, who were found to be involved in any drug business, were not spared, he said.

He said he also introduced a drug test policy for the new recruits last year. “If the results are positive, we do not recruit that person.”

About curbing militancy, he said law enforcers conducted around 35 anti-militancy drives in 2017 where 57 members of the suicide squads were killed and over a hundred more arrested.

“Our process in curbing militancy was also praised by other countries and in the recent Interpol meeting, its secretary wanted two of our officials who will provide training to law enforcement agencies of other countries,” he said.

Bangladesh Police have already approved two names in this regard.

Earlier, experts from Bangladesh Police went to the Interpol on a part-time basis. For the first time, the two experts are going to be appointed by the Interpol permanently, said the police chief.

Additional IGP (SB chief) Javed Patwari, Additional IGP (admin) Mukhleshur Rahman, Additional IGP (anti-terrorism) Shafiqul Islam and DIG Abdul Alim were also present.