Senior officers will listen to complaints at police stations

Md Shafiqul Islam, the newly-appointed commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), yesterday said that he would take over the duties of officer-in-charge (OC) if service at police stations did not improve.

“Senior police officials will start sitting in police stations if desired change does not happen at the stations. I myself will work as an OC,” said the commissioner.

“I will send my DCs (deputy commissioner) to police stations. Senior officers will listen to the complaints of people at the stations at least once a week,” he said, while addressing reporters at a meet the press programme in the Media and Community Centre of DMP.

Shafiqul said he wants to give top priority to police stations.

“I want to ensure that people can lodge general diaries or file cases without any harassment and leave police stations with a belief that police will take apt actions corresponding to their filed complaints,” said the new DMP boss.

He said that he is also working to make sure that no one needs to provide any “pay-off” to receive police service and people are not victims of extortion or police harassment.

Traffic management would be his next priority after police stations, said the DMP chief.

“I have already instructed senior traffic officers to remain on the street with traffic sergeants. They will remain on streets for three hours -- before and after peak hours,” he said.

“If the instruction is not followed, I would make roster for DCs and appoint them for eight-hour duty at different points for traffic control,” the commissioner warned.

Shafiqul further called upon people to assist police in bringing discipline on roads.

Asked about the steps taken on curbing militancy, the DMP chief said that their drive is underway to arrest those who have become involved in militancy. “We are also monitoring so that no new people can join any militant outfit,” he said.

“We have limited capacity to control online militant activities but we are working to improve the capability. Besides, we are working to rehabilitate arrested militants into society by providing counselling to them,” Shafiqul said.