Stressing the importance of maintaining departmental discipline, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday warned the police that no one will be spared if found guilty as the government has adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ policy to indiscipline. “We’ve adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ policy to departmental indiscipline. No one will be spared if found guilty,” she said addressing the passing-out ceremony of the 30th batch of assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) at the Sardah Police Academy in the morning.
Mentioning that it was the sacred duty of the police force to always serve people, the Prime Minister asked them to provide better services to the mass people. “People come to you for shelter. You should stand like friends beside those in danger. You also need to be on maximum alert so that women and children are not neglected in any way.”
Terming the police the friends of people, the Prime Minister said maintaining discipline, containing terrorism and crimes, ensuring social peace and protecting democracy and human rights are their sacred duties. ”To perform these duties, the police have to be sharply intelligent, patient, full of human values and highly professional,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina also underscored the need for transparency and accountability at every step of life.
Turing to about her party, the Prime Minister said Awami League always works for building a disciplined, responsible, accountable and pro-people police force in the country.
She asked the members of the police force to be more active and dynamic in combating crimes in the perspective of changed techniques of offences.
“You’ll have to use modern technologies to combat crimes like international and regional terrorism and militancy, cybercrimes, money laundering. Each member of the police force has to be skilled in information technology. You have to attain international standard to detect crimes and criminals,” she said.
The premier said that the government has improved a lot the training system for the police force. “We provide all sorts of necessary facilities to the Police Academy and enrich it with modern technologies,” she said.
In this connection, Hasina also mentioned that the rank of the Police Academy Principal has been elevated to the status of Additional IGP.
After assuming office, the PM said, her government has decided to create 32,000 new posts, including 733 of cadre ones, in the police force.
“By the meantime, work on creating 27,778 posts, including 500 of cadre ones, has been completed. We’ve also reintroduced the rank badge for the IGP that was given by the Father of the Nation. We’ve elevated the IGP to the senior secretary rank,” she said. Hasina also mentioned that two Grade-1 posts have been created in the police force. Police inspector’s post has been elevated to Grade 1 (non-cadre), and the sub inspector and sergeant posts have been upgraded to Grade-II.
-With The Independent input
