Political interference in police must stop

Political interference in the police force should be stopped immediately to make it oriented to the people, speakers at a discussion observed yesterday.
If the police work in tandem with the citizens instead of being used for political purposes, the force will be more reliable, they told the discussion in the capital.
The speakers recommended that the police and the authorities concerned work more closely with the local community, increasing the force's efficiency and ensuring their accountability, operational neutrality and adequate pay.
They also recommended that the Police Act, 1861, be replaced with the draft law of the Police Ordinance, 2007, to make the force more dynamic.
Terming the reformation of the force an urgent necessity, Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker, however, said people trust the police. He added that the organisation is improving as it is taking on talented and energetic youths.
About the politicisation of the organisation, he said politicians adopt policies to run the country and the police help implement them.
Daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar said the negative image that the force has earned since the beginning of British colonial rule will not be stamped out overnight. They are still used as the puppet of the political parties.
"Law enforcers can perform their duties well only in a stable political situation free from political interference," he said, adding that the public image of the police force is improving gradually.
Supreme Court lawyer Tuhin Malik said it is time to determine whether the force will be used for political purposes or for the safety and security of the people.
”The officers who benefit from their political affiliations and regional connections mostly tarnish the image of the force," he added.
Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, former election commissioner, said recruitment and transfer based on political considerations often break down the chain of command in the force.
Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam of Dhaka University said the people want to see the police as a service-oriented institution but it seems to enter the sphere of political and influential groups.
Police Staff College, Bangladesh, and Retired Police Officers' Welfare Association jointly arranged the discussion, titled “Policing Based on Citizen Consensus”, in the auditorium of the college.
Rector of the staff college, Md Nazmul Haque, presided over the discussion, where former IGP Dr Enamul Huq spoke as the special guest.