Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked police forces to work with professionalism for protecting the country's hard-earned independence. She also asked the police to provide pro-people service.
The Prime Minister also asked police forces to work strictly for maintaining law and order and upholding the democracy in the country.
She said this while addressing a function as chief guest while virtually opening the Police Week-2022 at Rajarbagh Police Line in the city from her official Ganabhaban residence.
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, said, you have to protect the independence achieved through the 24-year-long struggle by the Father of the Nation and in exchange for blood of your predecessors.
The Prime Minister further said, “I believe that each member of the police force will work with professionalism and provide pro-people service to maintain law and order and uphold democracy.
She said that the police force quickly respond to the people's call through 999 service, adding, "The quick response from the police through 999 has increased people's confidence and trust in the police force.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has been providing the required modern facilities and transportation besides imparting training to the police personnel to render quick services to the people.
The premier said purchasing two helicopters for the police is now under process.
She also thanked the policemen for standing by the people at the risk of life during the global Covid-19 Pandemic.
The Police Week-2022 is being observed in the country this year with the theme "Skilled Police, Prosperous Country, Bangabandhu's Bangladesh."
Different police contingents staged a spectacular parade led by police superintendent Md Saleh Uddin.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on behalf of the Prime Minister inspected the parade and took salute, riding on an open jeep. On behalf of the Prime Minister, the home minister handed over the police awards in four categories to 230 policemen for their outstanding performance in 2020 and 2021. Nine of them were awarded posthumously.
Sheikh Hasina greeted the awardees and hoped that it would inspire others in the force to follow in the footsteps of them.
Spelling out various measures taken by the Awami League government for the overall development of police, she said that it has raised facilities regarding housing, ration, healthcare and training and supplying of vehicles and other equipment to the police.
The prime minister said the budget for the police was only Tk 400 crore when they assumed office in 1996.
But, later they doubled the amount and introduced a risk allowance, she said.
During 1996-2001 period, she said they, for the first time, appointed a female police officer as a superintendent of police, formed a police welfare trust giving Taka five crore seed money, established 25 police stations, 86 investigation centres, 58 highway police outposts, 150 police camps and 10 police outposts.
The premier said at that time they appointed 803 sub- inspectors, 507 sergeants, and 14,680 constables, adding that her government had also set up the Police Staff College in 2000.
After coming to power in 2009, she said they have created 82,583 new posts in the police force alongside forming special police units like tourist police, industrial police, the Police Bureau of Investigation, anti- terrorism, counter-terrorism and anti- transnational crime unit.
The premier said her government has also established Rangpur and Mymensingh range, one armed police battalion in airport and two armed police battalions in Cox's Bazar, three battalions for RAB, 30-inservice training centres, 62 police stations, 95 investigation centres, one police outpost and 999 unit after assuming office in 2009.
She said they have reintroduced a rank badge for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and created two posts of grade-1 and 11 of grade-2, 52 DIG, 159 additional DIG, 402 police supers and 800 for additional police super posts.
She said that her government promoted 215 additional police supers to police supers, 253 senior assistant police supers to additional SPs and elevated the posts of sub inspectors and sergeants to second grade from third grade while the posts of inspectors were made first class from second class.
The prime minister thanked the police personnel for their successes in controlling the BNP-Jamaat sponsored violence, sabotage and arson attacks against the innocent people.
She added that Bangladesh Police, particularly female police earned repute abroad as well due to their performance with utmost efficiency and professionalism in the UN Peacekeeping Missions.
Pointing out the influx of lakhs of Rohingya people into Bangladesh, she said Bangladesh Police were playing a praiseworthy role in providing shelters and security to the huge number of displaced Myanmar citizens.
The prime minister reiterated her commitment to transform Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman maintaining the status of a developing nation.
She also called upon the policemen to continue their efforts to materialize the Vision-2041.