PM says "Devote to country's uplift"

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked new police officers to devote themselves to the development of the country and the nation by facing the current and future challenges with courage and sincerity.

"It's my expectation that you would retain the image of Bangladesh Police and uphold the glorious role the members of Bangladesh Police played during the great War of Liberation," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also directed them to earn the people's confidence by handling their problems from sincere and human outlook.

"You will have to keep in mind that the people seek your help when they fall into a danger. So you will have to gain confidence of the mass people through giving legal services and humane behaviour," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing the passing-out parade of the 33rd batch of Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) at the Bangladesh Police Academy here this morning. Sheikh Hasina took salute, reviewed the parade riding on an open jeep. She also distributed medals among the best probationary ASPs.

State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque, Principal of the Academy Nayeem Ahmed and Vice-Principal Amulya Bhushan Barua were present, among others.

The Prime Minister also directed the fresh police officers to give utmost priority to the fundamental rights of the people, human rights and the rule of law.

"I hope you will ensure punishment of the wicked and fostering the good," she said.

Spelling out her government steps for the development of the police force, Sheikh Hasina said whenever Awami League formed the government, it gave the highest priority to maintaining law and order situation and worked for the welfare of the law enforcement agencies.

"Our aim is to build a time-befitting modern police force to face the challenge of the 21st century and for this, we have taken various realistic and people-friendly programmes," she said.

The Prime Minister said though 32,031 posts including 733 cadre posts have been created in the police organogram, it's not adequate in ratio of the country's population.

Taking this into consideration, she said, the government has taken a decision to create 50,000 more post in Bangladesh Police.

"The recruitment of 10,000 police members has already been completed and the recruitment activities of the remaining manpower would be finished soon," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the formation of metropolitan police in Rangpur and Gazipur is at the final stage. The issue of procurement of necessary vehicles and other equipment is our active consideration," she said.

She said the government has reorganized Sarda Police Academy, known as the "home of police", while the Master of Police Science degree is being given to the newly-appointed Superintends of Police side by side with providing fundamental training to them.

The Prime Minister said to combat cyber crime, money laundering, international and regional militancy and terrorist acts, the work on formation of specialized unit for the police is going ahead.

"To this end, we are providing better training to the police force and giving the topmost priority to apply information technology," she said.

Noting that the members of the police force are the shields to face all misdeeds, Sheikh Hasina said the terrorists of the BNP-Jamaat nexus always targeted the policemen in their militant and subversive acts.

"Its only reason is that their evil design would be successful if they can weaken the police force. Despite the repeated attacks on policemen, they combated this subversive acts, militancy and terrorism with courage," she said.

In this connection, the Prime Minister mentioned that 20 valiant members of the law enforcement agencies embraced their life in recent years in facing violence. Of them, 17 were members of the police force, she said.

"It's a rare example for protecting the holy constitution, democracy and the rule of law," she said, adding that the people of Bangladesh would always remember with deep gratitude their contribution.

Sheikh Hasina said the contribution of the police force in the ladder that the government built for establishing the rule of law through the trial of the killers of Bangabandhu, four national leaders and the killers of 71 is undeniable.

The Prime Minister also lauded the role of Bangladesh Police in discharging their duty with utmost responsibility in the UN Peacekeeping Missions.

"I hope that the Bangladesh Police would keep continue the trend of their success," she said. Dwelling on her government's impressive success on all socioeconomic fronts, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has been turned into a role model thanks to undertaking time-befitting steps of her administration since 2009.

Sheikh Hasina extended her heartiest congratulations to fresh police officers who completed the training and hoped that they would utilise the loyalty of knowledge and discipline they earned through training in protecting people's peace and security.

"Our goal is to reach the fruits of independence to the house of every person. The first ladder of development is to maintain law and order and Bangladesh Police are engaged in performing the great responsibility," she said.

Reiterating her government's firm commitment to turn Bangladesh as a mid-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, she said, "To achieve such feat, we'll have to further improve the law and order situation and this duty has been bestowed upon the police force,"

A total of 161 ASPs, including 26 female ones, passed the course.

The Prime Minister distributed medals among the best police officers of the course. ASP Md Hasinuzzaman conducted the parade as parade commander.

Among the trainees, Pankaj Barua received the award of "Best Probationer", while Rezwana Chowdhury took the award of "Best Academic" and Faruk Ahmed the award of the"Best Rider" from the Prime Minister.

Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated the first-ever gallery at the parade ground and two guest houses named Tarunima and Urmi at the Police Academy.