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By Asraful Huq
 
DHAKA, Feb 7, 2025 (BSS) – The interim government has launched a massive campaign to retrain the police force under a changed curriculum to make the main law enforcement agency a more humane force,  Home Adviser retired Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chwodhury said.

On government efforts for rebuilding the police force in its first six months in office, he said policemen were being trained under a changed curriculum, laying an extra focus on their appropriate and expected behavior and interactions with people in different communities.

“A massive change is being brought in the police training curriculums,” Chowdhury said.

He said the initiative aimed at making police as a humane, pro-people and service oriented force as it earned a tyrannical image in public mind due to its suppressive activities in the last 16 years. 

During the past six months Dhaka city alone witnessed 150 street protests and demonstrations by different professional groups including public employees, and teachers and even students.

“But, the police did not resorted to their oppressive role to quell them in New Bangladesh,” the adviser said. 

Chowdhury, however, said the street protests exposed immense sufferings to commuter and city residents causing huge traffic jams and yet police handled the demonstrations with patience without using excessive force in line with the government's instructions. 

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam in a recent view exchange with journalists said that the police had committed all types of wrongdoings in the last 16 years due to political influence.

“In last 16 years, political influence was so much that we left no misdeeds uncommitted. You know that, we all know that. We are so sorry and embarrassed for that,” he said. 

Alam demanded freeing the police from political influence as the force unbearable people’s hatred due to their politically influenced activities.

The police chief said he is travelling to different places and interacting with the personnel of different ranks to find the way to overcome the situation.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzad Ali recently issued a directive asking police officials to provide best services to the people in any situation. 

“People are not our enemies and we do not want to go against the people. We want to work together with the people,” he told a DMP officials conference recently Bangladesh Police Auditorium at Rajarbagh Police Lines.

Ali said police are holding view exchange meetings with the common people at different police station areas to understand their expectations from the police. 

Apart from the move of making a pro-police force, the government has initiated special drives against illegal arms, contraband drugs and hardened criminals across the country including the bordering areas.

Police officials said efforts were underway to bring back normalcy as the country witnessed abnormal situation for three days after the August 5 changeover. 

Asked about how much the government achieved in maintaining law and order across the country in the last six months, the home adviser said the ordinary people and the journalists should answer the question.

“But you (journalists) know in which situation the government assumed office. You also can say better whether the situation has improved from the difficult time when we assumed office,” he said. 

The adviser, however, said he law and order was now in a better state than what it was six months ago “but, there are still scopes to improve it further”.