Police recruitment

According to a report carried in this paper on Thursday, the police high command is pondering changing its current recruitment procedures for enrolment at the level of constables, the lowest level of entry in the police force. The reason -- political interference. While this is an acknowledgement of the reality in Bangladesh we commend the police headquarters for realising the deleterious consequences of the system being distorted to meet the inappropriate demands of the politically powerful to absorb their candidates in the police force, and putting a better sysytem in its place. 

It is sad reality that the police bosses are not alone in facing such a predicament. Regrettably, most of the state institutions have to yield to political push, and the recommendations, we are given to understand, do come free. Police recruitment has been a money making device for the politically linked. Sadly, it continues unabated. Needless to say, when recruitment procedures are distorted and corrupted, quality is sacrificed, and when that occurs in an establishment like the police, the consequences are only too evident for the police headquarters not to take notice.

We think it is a good idea that the police planners are thinking of standardising the tests, of whatever the type that may be, because, having separate tests at district level, for what is national level employment, seems quite illogical. The new mechanism hopefully, will ensure a single standard for the entire country. However, the moot point is that whatever recruitment procedure is adopted, unless political interference is stopped, bad eggs and unqualified people will continue to be inducted in the force, perpetuating inefficiency. In the meanwhile the people will continue to suffer.