Foil Jamaat attacks with courage
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the police members to foil the evil design of Jamaat-Shibir with "patience and courage" as they are out to impede the ongoing war crimes trial.
"I hope, you [members of the police forces] would be able to maintain law and order by foiling the evil design of Jamaat-Shibir activists who are active across the country," she said.
The premier made the remarks while inaugurating a three-day centenary festival of Bangladesh Police Academy at Sarda, Rajshahi.
She directed the members of the police force to remain vigilant to protect lives and properties of people with due emphasis on upholding human rights.
Referring to various government programmes for restoring law and order, Hasina said her government has contained militancy with iron hand in the last four years.
Initiatives have been taken to form the National Bureau of Counterterrorism, she said, and hoped that this specialised unit of police would play an effective role in combating militancy and terrorism.
The premier said the BNP-Jamaat alliance government and the subsequent caretaker government had pushed the country towards anarchy and destruction.
After the 2001 elections, Hasina said, the four-party alliance government had created a dreadful situation across the country by unleashing terrorist activities, and the human rights of people were violated during their tenure.
"The people did not forget Bangla Bhai, the August 21 grenade attack on Awami League rally and the synchronised bomb blasts across the country," she added.
The premier said her government has been working to build Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021, and "to achieve the goal, police force has an important role".
She mentioned that immediately after independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had formed a modern police force to ensure security of people's life and property.
The rank badge for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), which was introduced by Bangabandhu, has been reinstated after 28 years, she told her audience.
Hasina also mentioned various programmes implemented by her government for the development of police forces.
The programmes include creating 32,000 new posts, raising grants for injured police members from Tk 50,000 to Tk 1 lakh and Tk five lakh from Tk three lakh for the family of each police member who dies on duty.
The premier said the government has formed two security and protection battalions, while approval was given for the formation of Police Bureau of Investigation.
Processes are underway to form tourist police, campus police and marine police to deal with multifarious crimes, she added.
She also said her government has taken steps to turn the Sarda police training academy into a "centre of excellence", considering the importance of training of the members of police forces.
Earlier, on her arrival at the academy, the premier was received by State Minister for Home Affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandaker and Principal of the academy Nayeem Ahmed.
A smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Police gave a guard of honour to Hasina.
Ministers, parliament members, senior government officials, among others, attended the function.
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