Home steps in to resolve conflict

Alarmed by an intelligence report of possible disorder and conflict between police and local administrations, the home ministry yesterday instructed the inspector general of police (IGP) and senior secretary of the public administration ministry to take steps in this regard.

The move came a week after the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) expressed fear of disorder in the local administration due to the conflict between superintendent of police (SP) and deputy commissioner (DC) at district level, and officer-in-charge (OC) and upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) at upazila level.

The intelligence report had informed the PMO of an “unwritten understanding” between the police and local politicians.

“In the letters, we have drawn the attention of the IGP and the senior secretary of the PMO directive. We told them to take measures so that there is no conflict or disorder in the local administration that may hamper the government's functioning,” Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Md Mozammel Haq Khan told The Daily Star yesterday.

He said some incidents in the past were mentioned as references in the PMO directive.

“We are instructing the police boss to alert the entire police department for a congenial working atmosphere,” he said, adding that the public administration ministry will ensure that the DCs do not also behave like that of the colonial era.

“There has to be coordination between the two tiers of the administration,” he added.

The PMO attached the report of the intelligence agency along the directive. It asked the government officials to do their jobs and be respectful of each other.

The report mentioned that many police officers use political influence and money to get promoted to SP from the rank of additional SP. Once promoted, they indulge in “making money with political patronage” resulting in people getting harassed.

The report stated that the OCs at upazilas often bypass the authority of UNOs.

The report fears that bad relation between the DCs and SPs has been disrupting important government work, with a negative impact on people and it has been tarnishing the image of the government.

It cited a few examples, analyses and recommendations on the situation.

It mentioned that the Rules of Business clearly defined the duties of the DCs and SPs and that everyone was accountable for their actions.

The report further says that both the DCs and the SPs at the field level want to prove themselves stronger than the other.

As the police are a law enforcement agency, they have closer ties with the politicians, mentioned the report, adding that the unwritten understanding between the police and the politicians instigates the police to do things as per their wishes.

The DCs still have their colonial mindset, said the report, adding that their attitude, as head of the district administration, has widened the gap between the two tiers of administration.