Medal galore for police personnel

All 80 police officials holding commanding posts in divisions, districts and metropolitan areas, along with their 269 colleagues, are getting prestigious police medals this year.

Police officially said the recognition was for bravery, combating crime, cracking important cases, efficiency, honesty and discipline.

However, a number of sources at the police department said the role most of the personnel played ahead of and during the December 30 election was mainly taken into consideration for the awards. The ruling Awami League won a landslide victory in the polls bagging 257 of the 299 seats.

As the election role was considered, a record number of law enforcers are getting the medals this time, the sources said.

A gazette, issued by the home ministry yesterday, said 349 police and Rab members have been selected for Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM), BPM- service, President Police Medal (PPM) and PPM-service.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hand over the medals to the awardees on the first day of Police Week-2019, likely to be held from February 4 to 8.

For the first time, all 64 district superintendents of police (SPs), all eight range deputy inspector generals and as many police commissioners of metropolitan cities are getting the medals.

Following the election, Deputy Inspector General (Admin) of Police Habibur Rahman issued letters to all SPs across the country appreciating their roles during the polls.

“I strongly believe that you have been able to discharge the major responsibilities laid on you by applying your leadership skills, farsightedness and professional strategy,” he wrote.

Talking to The Daily Star, a number of police officials said many officers have been getting the medals for the last three to four consecutive years. Those awardees are known in the department as “close to the government and the police administration”, they said.

Even some officers who did not apply in the first place were requested to submit their names for the awards, they added.

“On the other hand, there are many officers who deserve the award, but have been left out. This is frustrating,” said an official, wishing anonymity. 

Statistics show that in 2013, the number of the awardees was 67, which jumped to 105 in 2014 after the AL had won the previous general election by a big margin.

Last year, the number of BPM and PPM awardees was 182, but this year it has almost doubled.

“BPM and PPM awards are highly prestigious for us and we cherish the dream of getting such an award in service. The award will lose its prestige if it is given in such a huge number without strong grounds,” said another police official, wishing anonymity.

Sources said most of the police personnel who were in election monitoring and operation teams have been picked for the awards this year.

Transparency International Bangladesh, which conducted a survey on 50 out of the 299 constituencies, observed on January 15 that the role of a section of polling officers and law enforcers in the parliamentary election was biased.

The Election Commission and the AL, however, rejected the findings.

This year's winners include Rab Director General Benazir Ahmed, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, DMP Additional Commissioner and CTTC chief Monirul Islam, DIG at the Police Headquarters Anwar Hossain, Rab Additional DGs Col Anwar Latif Khan, Col Md Jahangir Alam, Chief of Special Branch Mir Shahidul Islam, Additional IGPs Mainur Rahman Chowdhury, Iqbal Bahar, Deputy Inspector General Habibur Rahman and Deputy Commissioner of CTTC Proloy Kumar Joarder.

Besides, Inspector Jalal Uddin and Constable Shamim Mia will be awarded BPM posthumously. They were killed while in service.

Asked why the officers in commanding posts and a record number of police personnel have been considered for the awards, Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general (media) at the Police Headquarters, said, “A committee was formed. Verifying all applications submitted by the award seekers, the committee has come up with the decisions, upon fulfillment of some specific criteria.” 

THE GAZETTE

According to the home ministry gazette, declaring the names of this year's awardees, 40 officers will be awarded BPM (gallantry), 104 officers BPM- service), 62 PPM (gallantry) and 143 PPM-service.

Each awardee (BPM) will get an allowance of Tk 1 lakh at once and Tk 1,500 monthly.

For BPM-service, an awardee will be given Tk 75,000 in one go and Tk 1,000 monthly.

A PPM awardee will get an allowance of Tk 75,000 once and Tk 1,500 monthly while a PPM-service awardee will get Tk 50,000 at a go and Tk 1,000 monthly.

The awardees will continue to get the monthly allowance during his or her service period and even during pension.