Long on stigmatisation but short on appreciation

The malfeasance of police functionaries has attracted large-scale adverse media attention and thus it was no wonder that the findings of the TIB with regard to police as the topmost corrupt group was the lead story in many newspapers. The Bangladesh Police Service Association has taken strong objection to such derogatory assessment and has threatened legal action while questioning the method and credibility of the TIB study.
In view of the above, it would be interesting to see what happens in the coming days. However, it needs to be said that the corrupt amongst out midst had no qualms in displaying their ill-gotten worldly possessions. Therefore, despite the hazards many had joined the ranks of the corrupt, given the lack of accountability and general acceptance of corruption as a way of life in the country.
On a broader canvas, the point to ascertain is whether we have upstaged villains in our political history because one fallen ex-president, according to many observers of our socio-political scene, stands accused of toppling a lawfully elected government through brute power and of corrupting almost all the institutions of the state.
His name is synonymous with autocracy and high handedness and all the evils that are associated with it. The massive tarnishing of the electoral process was initiated by him, and the consequences are being felt now. His was the time when sense of propriety disappeared from public life and religion was put to unprecedented misuse. Accountability, both administrative and financial, was at its lowest ebb and conspicuous consumption was officially patronised.
It would be worthwhile to remember that in the recent past bulk recruitments of managerial level officers were effected despite the reservation of senior professionals in the police department. The demands of the so-called emerging political requirements had to be met. In the process half-baked and ill-trained officials were produced.
Disconcerting news about the unsavoury political influence on several layers of police hierarchy was no surprise in the recent past. In fact, many senior police officers made specific mention of the pernicious political pressures being exerted on them with regard to appointments, transfer and postings of different ranks.
Such officials had also complained about the entry of undesirable and unsuitable individuals and inappropriate posting violating the usual procedure and disregarding the chain of command. Reportedly, a district level commander lamented that the unbridled political meddling had made the subordinate officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station more powerful than him.
The political executives across the divide did not realise that the police, as an official organ, was expected to be the relief-provider. They ensured the intake of undesirable persons in exchange of material favours without appreciating that appointees from a shady deal would turn into bitter and insensitive cops in no time.
Under circumstances as above, it is only natural that bitter individuals occupying positions of coercive power would behave abnormally. The minds and motivations of such individuals remained preoccupied with the compulsions of recouping their initial investment at the earliest. Quite naturally, the lure of the lucre took its toll.
The tragedy has been that the real interests of the state were allowed to get diluted and mixed up with the interests of the government of the day. Our politicians did not display an understanding and appreciation of the requirements of the state and the government in a democratic and pluralist society.
Their myopia decimated professionalism and consequently the sense of direction was lost. In such circumstances, the police hierarchy dipped further into a frustratingly lackadaisical scenario and interests of the state took a back seat, providing increasingly greater space to narrow partisan considerations.
The reality as of now is that the reactive and aggressive postures of policemen have not undergone any change for the better, but equally true perhaps is the fact that the pay and emoluments of the policemen have not experienced meaningful increase for the overall good of the society.
However, significant change has been felt elsewhere, particularly in the rising expectations of the general population. In an independent polity, the policemen are expected to be respectful towards the democratic values. The important question is whether the currently approved pay and allowances contribute to the inculcation of the right attitude on the part of our policemen in our democratic society.
It has to be remembered that the daily rigours of service throughout the year takes its toll, and we have to be cognisant of that in order for our constable to be humane and respectful towards the human rights of others. It is necessary to ensure a decent living for him so that he does not stoop low, and that he performs his duties with a high head and in an upright manner. The lifestyle of majority of our policemen is like that of the ordinary folks of the country. They deserve a better deal at the earliest.
In fact, we are in a difficult situation because institutions have not been allowed to flower. The myopia of our politicians has to take a large part of the blame. Corruption has not been condemned in a forthright manner and as such we do not see meaningful resistance to the malaise from within the society. Cultural internalisation of the good and the evil has not been manifest.
For educated men and women attuned to the ways of the world to make it into the police service as very fondly desired, the stumbling block is the general unpopularity of the service due to an unattractive pay structure not commensurate with the responsibilities of police duties, meager promotion prospects, lack of social recognition vis-a-vis other services and sense of uncertainty arising from political situations.
Many discerning observers are of the considered opinion that it is now almost impossible for conscientious men, not to speak of sophisticated, to think of joining police service because in independent democratic Bangladesh the attitude of the political establishment has hardened, thus making the police respond to the democratic protests with fury and unbridled violence. The distinction between public service and domestic service has dangerously thinned.
With regard to pay and perks, there were times when policemen were virtually expected to live on ground. The situation has not really changed much and given the wide discretion and power and the strains of the job it is indeed difficult to attract desirable elements into the organisation. Add to that the oppressive work conditions and the absence of positive work ecology, the scene is maddening. In addition, the opportunity cost of being corrupt is low and thus, often, the obvious rational choice is the acceptance of bribes.
To be frank, the profession of policing has to be salvaged from the morass of a politically and managerially incapacitated scenario. The rank structure has to be rationally changed in a phased way to enable the organisation to do a discreet job. This would require substantial injection of resources, which would only be possible with the support of a broad agreement across the political landscape on the future role and responsibilities of police.
The police needs to be organisationally accountable, operationally autonomous and neutral and functionally responsive. The question is, do we have the will to accord police reform the desired priority?

Muhammad Nurul Huda is a columnist for The Daily Star.