Police want 3-star rank badge back
Twenty-seven years ago, the then military government of the country degraded the police force by ranking down its chief from three-star general to two-star, which is long forgotten by the people.
But the police force still faces the humiliation and the issue again came under spotlight as the force recently sent a proposal to the government to retrieve the three-star general rank badge for the inspector general of police.
"Reducing a star from the rank badge is not only disgraceful to the force but humiliating when the IGP of our country meets police chiefs of other countries who bear four-star general rank badges," said a top-level police officer.
The IGP bearing two-star general rank badge, which is used by provincial IGPs of Southeast Asia, causes frustration and grievance among the police personnel, sources at police headquarters said.
Besides, the additional IGPs and the IGP bear the same two-star badges that often create confusion among the foreign authorities while inviting IGP and additional IGPs in the same programme.
"Such incidents put our IGP in an embarrassing situation as well as tarnish the image of the country," said a source.
Against the longstanding backdrop, the Bangladesh Police sent a proposal to the home ministry on December 24 to retrieve the three-star general rank badge of IGP which was originally introduced by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led government just after the liberation, said Assistant Inspector General (Supply) Shoeb Ahmed of police headquarters.
AIG Shoeb said, " Before liberation we had East Pakistan provincial IGP of two-star general rank badge. After the independence Sheikh Mujibur Rahman upgraded the rank badge to three-star general for the police force. But in 1983, the then military government ranked down the badge to the present status without showing any official reason."
The sources said they were expecting a declaration from the government regarding the issue in the upcoming police week starting from January 5.
The two-star badge is inscribed with crossed swords and a baton with a star while three-star rank badge is inscribed with crossed swords and baton with national monogram, sources said.
A two-star general rank badge does not suit an IGP of an independent country as in almost all the IGPs in Southeast Asia bear the rank badge of four stars, he added mentioning examples of those in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
A few police officials also said that the IGP of an independent country should not bear a rank badge which is used by provincial IGPs.
The IGP has to face problem in maintaining protocol while attending IGP-level international conferences, AIG (media) Nazrul Islam of Bangladesh Police said.
He added very often the IGP is treated as junior officer among the foreign IGPs that put the country in a disgraceful position.
"As the leading contributor to UN Peace keeping missions, the IGP of Bangladesh has to make frequent trips abroad to attend international programmes. But compared to IGPs of other countries ours is not treated properly there considering his rank," he persisted.
Police sources said the force has been enduring the humiliation imposed by a military government and they want to get rid of it.
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