‘Unpatriotic’ cops sent into retirement

Five policemen who have recently been sent into forced retirement lacked patriotism and skills, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday.

The minister came up with the remark while responding to reporters' queries in a dialogue with the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters' Forum at the Media Centre of the secretariat.

"Among the police officials whose service period in police reaches 25 years, action is taken against them if they are found to lack efficiency and patriotism. The action was taken against them (five police officers) from the department as they had lack of skills and patriotism," he said.

He further said, "If the government thinks that he or she (official) is unable to carry out the duties properly, why will he or she hold a post unnecessarily? This has been done so that others can provide more service after being in those posts."

In the latest development, the government on Monday sent two additional deputy inspectors general of police on retirement months before their service tenure ends.

The two -- Md Mahbub Hakim, additional DIG of Tourist Police, and Md Alamgir Alam, additional DIG of the Criminal Investigation Department -- are officers of the 12th Bangladesh Civil Service (police) cadre.

With the two officials, at least five officials who joined the public service in 1991 were sent on early retirement.

On October 18, three other police officers were posted to the police headquarters and the CID was also sent on retirement by the government before the completion of their tenure.

On October 16, the government sent information and broadcasting secretary Md Mokbul Hossain, also a BCS officer of the 1991 batch, on early retirement.

The government as per the Public Service Act, 2018 can send any public servant on retirement on completion of 25 years in service without mentioning any reason.

Speaking at the discussion, the minister also said the government has no intention of obstructing "normal" political activities.

"The prime minister has said that any political party will carry out their political activities. We have no objection to that. But if they create public misery and block roads, then our law enforcement agencies will not sit idle. Naturally, they will fulfil the responsibilities assigned to them…. If the political activities are carried out normally, the government has no intention of obstructing it," he added.