Cops argue over self-criticism

A meeting of top police officials with the home minister yesterday turned into a rather embarrassing face off when the Dhaka metropolitan police commissioner angrily reacted to his superior's comment that there is a long list of allegations against the department's recent performance.
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hassan Mahmood Khandker interjected and calmed down DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed to carry on the meeting.
It was a closed door meeting on law and order situation in Rajarbagh Police Auditorium in the capital on the occasion of Police Week 2012, following an inauguration by the prime minister at the parade ground. Police officials with the ranks of superintendent of police and above were meeting the home minister and the state minister for home.
At one point of the meeting, Police Affairs Coordinator of the Home Ministry Phani Bhoushan Choudhury, who holds the rank equal to an IGP, mentioned in his speech that the quality of services provided by police is in a declining trend.
He said there are many allegations that police are showing unwillingness to record cases at police stations, people are not getting services when they go to the police stations.
People are being harassed at check-posts and in the name of vehicle requisition, he added.
"Police are not being trained properly, power is being misused and corruption in the force is increasing," said Phani.
At that point, DMP Commissioner Benazir, who is also an additional IG (current charge), shouted out, "I want to respond!"
As an astounded Phani took a pause from his speech, the state minister for home and the IGP requested Benazir to wait until the police coordinator's speech is over, and calmed him down.
Phani then resumed his speech and said, "It is time to look into whether the chain of command in the force has broken down. It is the best time to correct ourselves, and be introspective, as this government is doing everything for the betterment of the police department, which none did in the past."
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku in his speech said, "Although the police coordinator exaggerated the allegations to a certain extent, allegations do exist."
There are also examples of departmental proceedings and punishments in connection with corruption, abuse of power, and negligence in duty, he added.
"It is our duty to figure out how to bring down the number of allegations. We will have to take responsibilities," the state minister said.
Home Minister Shahara Khatun delivered a written speech, but did not say anything about the allegations or about the incident at the meeting.
The IGP in his speech reminded his colleagues that the theme of this Police Week is "self-purification". He said the new recruits are doing much better.
Earlier the DMP commissioner in his speech expressed his dissatisfaction about the home ministry's "lack of attention towards the proposals and demands sent by the police department", said meeting sources.
Nazrul Hossain, a superintendent of police (SP) of Madaripur, told the meeting that there is no coordination between police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at the district level.
He said as a result quite often both forces work on a same case separately, which sometimes causes face offs between them.
He suggested that Rab camps at district levels be put under the command of superintendents of police.
Joint Commissioner of DMP (Finance and Admin) Shahabuddin Qureshi complained that although the capacity of Rajarbagh Police Line is to accommodate only 3,000 persons, currently 11,000 police are living there.
Police officials attending the meeting expressed mixed reaction about Phani's speech and the DMP commissioner's reaction.
Some officials criticised the DMP commissioner for his reaction to his superior while some other officials said the police coordinator should not have criticised the police wholesale.