About 10,000 lawmen punished
in less than 10 months
Courtesy New Age 12/11/07
The government punished about 10,000 police personnel in 10 months for their involvement in crimes and corruption and for breach of internal discipline.
They were punished between January 11, 2007, the day the interim administration assumed office, and October 31, when the government launched the drive against serious crimes and corruption, according to a home ministry report submitted at the weekly meeting of the council of advisers on Sunday.
The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, presided over the meeting which was attended by most of the members of the council and the secretaries concerned.
The report on the measures taken to keep discipline in the police at the optimum level said the police have a workforce of 1,27,842, including the personnel on deputation in the Rapid Action Battalion.
Seven hundred and sixty-two of them were given stringent punishment while light punishment was given to 8,715 personnel. Fifty-six were forced into retirement and 98 were dismissed from the service. Nine police officials were made officers on special duty and 64 were suspended from the service, according to the report.
Disclosing the figure, the chief adviser’s press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told a briefing that the government had increased the privileges for the police personnel to ensure maximum discipline in the forces.
He said a draft replacing the century-old Police Act was prepared under a project supported by the United Nations Development Programme. The police personnel are now provided with rations.
‘The government is also considering proposals for risk allowance and family pension,’ said Fahim.
He said the home ministry report had also suggested formation and operation of specialised police units that included the highway police and the unit for internal oversight.
According to statistics available, the number of cases filed with the police increased substantially in a couple of moths. But the police bosses on several occasions claimed the crime rates had decreased during the first few months of the interim administration.
With the support of the UN Development Programme, the government also set up 11 model police stations in various districts. Officials at some such stations came to be severely criticised for not behaving properly with the people.
The custodial death of a crime suspect at Narsingdi sadar model police station on October 28 has drawn attention of many. The officer-in-charge of the station was, however, suspended from the service.
The government set up service delivery centres at 33 police stations to improve the quality of service at the police stations. But allegations are there that the service has hardly improved.
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