Police want postings on deputation
Police have demanded postings on deputation in the Anti-Corruption Commission, Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), BRTA, and BIWTA to look after the enforcement and investigation activities of those organisations.
During a conference with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in the capital yesterday, top police officials also asked for increasing the number of posts at the ranks of superintendent of police and above, providing interest-free loan for personal vehicles, residential facilities for the chiefs of different police units and posting officials in Bangladesh missions abroad.
The meeting was organised on the second day of the ongoing Police Week 2020.
On the demand for postings on deputation, Hasina said policemen were already being posted to the ACC. She said she thought the police should have representatives in the DNC, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
She said the government would take steps in this regard. Her speech was broadcast live on Bangladesh Television.
Harun Or Rashid, deputy inspector general of Mymensingh Range, placed the demands at the meeting.
Asked why police wanted postings in those organisations, a number of officials said enforcing law and carrying out investigations are the inherent duties of the policemen who are trained on these subjects.
“So, if police are given the duties in those organisations, those will be carried out more effectively,” a DIG-ranked official told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.
Presently, a DIG-ranked official has been working at the DNC on deputation as its director (operation). But a few years ago, the department had an official of the rank of additional inspector general as its chief, said another police officer.
Talking about BRTA, the official said it is a regulatory body and police are doing the job of enforcing traffic rules. Like the BRTA, the ACC and the BIWTA also have enforcement duties.
Sources said no policemen are currently working at the BIWTA and the BRTA. But the ACC has a wing of 24 policemen which only deals with operational duties. Besides, the graft watchdog also has an SP and two additional SP-ranked officers who along with other ACC officials investigate various allegations.
At the meeting, DIG Harun further demanded posting cops to Bangladesh missions abroad for ensuring security and legal support to the Bangladeshi expatriates.
The PM said police have less work to do at the missions abroad, as the countries concerned only attaches importance to the officials from foreign service. “I don’t think police has the chance to work in Bangladesh missions abroad.”
Amena Begum, additional commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, demanded increasing the number of women in the force from 15,000 to 30,000 and building at least two training centres for female cops.
The premier said every training centre should have residential facilities for female cops and female trainers.
“I agree with their demand. How will they take basic training after being recruited if they do not have a dormitory or training facilities?”
She said the government would arrange the facilities.
Presently, female constables receive training only at Khulna and Rangpur training centres.
Amena sought approval of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Specialised Police Training Centre in Rupganj, Narayanganj.
The Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Lutful Kabir, demanded the government set up residential houses for the chiefs of police units like those of Dhaka Range, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Rapid Action Battalion.
He further asked for providing interest-free car loan to officials at the ranks of SP and above like the senior admin cadre officials, said meeting sources.
DMP Commissioner Shafiqul Islam demanded creating new posts in the police force. He wanted the government increase the number of posts of SPs by 133, addl DIGs by 184, DIGs by 71, addl IGPs (grade-2) by 17 and addl IGPs (grade-1) by eight to strike a balance between the number of subordinate and command-level officers.
Currently, there are 367 posts of SPs, 105 addl DIGs, 67 DIGs, 15 addl IGP (grade 2), and four addl IGPs (grade 1), including two supernumerary posts.
About interest-free loan for personal vehicles, the PM said officers who are not entitled to use government vehicles get such loans. She assured the cops of arranging such loans for that section of officials.
Talking about residential facilities for the unit chiefs, Hasina said an apartment building was being built on a large plot in the capital’s Gulshan at a cost of about Tk 119 crore and the unit chiefs could be accommodated there.
The PM said the government has already directed the authorities concerned to construct flats in every upazila for the government officials.
On restructuring the police organogram, she said it has already been significantly restructured.
“When more manpower will be recruited, the number of posts for the leaders will also have to be increased,” the premier said, adding that 215 new posts have already been created.
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