Dhaka Metropolitan police (DMP) celebrated its 45th founding anniversary amid festivity in the capital on Saturday. The programmes include bringing out a colorful procession from DMP headquarters to Rajarbagh Police Lines at 3pm and a civic reception at Rajarbagh Police Lines at 4pm.
Besides, a cultural programme was also organised at 7pm. This programme was telecast live on ATN Bangla. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan attended the function as the chief guest while Public Security Division Senior Secretary Mostafa Kamal Uddin and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary was present as special guests.
On the eve of the day, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting all members of DMP. They lauded the role of the members of DMP in maintaining law and order in the city. In his message, Abdul Hamid recalled with respect the martyrs of Bangladesh Police, who sacrificed their lives in the War of Independence and different other periods to maintain law and order.
He said that the members of Bangladesh Police had first put up armed resistance against Pakistani occupation forces at Rajarbagh Police Lines on the black night of March 25, 1971. ‘DMP is the largest unit of Bangladesh Police. Since its inception, members of this unit have been playing an important role to establish the rule of law and protect life and property of the people,’ he said.
Abdul Hamid also said in recent time, DMP was also playing a commendable role in curbing extremism and terrorism, maintaining law and order and traffic rule in the capital, ensuring women and children friendly policing system and providing security at different national and international programmes.
The president hoped that DMP would continue its sincere efforts to provide expected services to the residents of the capital in the coming days as well. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said that the Awami League government had taken multifaceted steps to build Bangladesh Police as a modern and pro-people force and increased manpower in phases.
‘We have formed specialised units in organisational structure of police, including Police Bureau of Investigation, Tourist Police, River Police, Special Security and Protection Battalion and Industrial Police,’ she said. The prime minister said that the Anti-Terrorism Unit and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit of police had already been formed to eliminate extremism and terrorism.
Police training centres, including Police Staff College and Bangladesh Police Academy, had been providing modern training to members of police to enhance their professional competence, she added. ‘In 2000, we had established the foundation of Police Welfare Trust. Under Police Welfare Trust, Community Bank has already started functioning,’ she said.
The prime minister said that a qualitative change was being noticed in the Bangladesh Police because of the government’s development activities. She said that recently around 10,000 constables of Bangladesh Police had been recruited in a transparent process. Bangladesh Police had set an example by completing the recruitment process successfully, she added.
She requested all members of DMP to adhere to ethics, principles and human values to build a pro-people policing system to earn people’s confidence.
