'Zero tolerance' for wrongdoing by cops

Police Headquarters took a “zero tolerance” policy against wrongdoers in the force, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in parliament yesterday.

In reply to lawmakers' queries, he said as the main law enforcement agency of the country, Bangladesh Police has been performing its duty relentlessly with the attitude of punishing the “wicked persons” and promoting the good ones.

In the question, Awami League MP Refat Amin wanted to know whether the government will prepare lists of honest and dishonest police officers in every police station.

The minister replied, “Whenever any offence -- personal of moral degradation -- is found against a member of the force, the Police Headquarters immediately takes proper departmental and legal actions against him or her.” In reply to another query, the minister said a total of 15,919 convicted prisoners are in the country's jails as of February 1.

Of the prisoners, 15,374 are men and 545 women, he said. Responding to yet another question, the home boss said 332 fire stations are now in operation in the country.