The Bangladesh Police is undergoing the biggest administrative overhaul in its history after the murder of a retired Army officer in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar by Police personnel at a check post.
The apparent pressure from general population and the Bangladesh Army forced the Police to conduct a system wide “correction” on the entire Police administration in Southern Bangladesh.
The Police Headquarters (PHQ) confirmed it has ordered the transfer of 1,487 personnel including 40 inspectors, 10 traffic inspectors, 179 sub-inspectors (SIs), eight sergeants, five town sub-inspectors (TSIs), 169 assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), 19 assistant town sub-inspectors (ATSIs), 50 nayeks and 1,007 constables. The total number of police personnel deployed in the district was around 1,515.
To replace the existing members the Bangladesh Police administration has already sent out posting orders for 1,507 members from the rank of inspector to constable against those posts which will fall vacant following the seismic transfers.
In total another 43 inspectors, 10 traffic inspectors, 193 SIs, eight sergeants, five TSIs, 183 ASIs, 19 ATSIs, 46 nayeks and 1,000 constables have been sent as replacements.
Already 1,340 police personnel including eight officers-in-charge, 29 inspectors and constables have reported to the Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General’s office for joining work in Cox’s Bazar.
Earlier, the home ministry and the PHQ in separate orders had transferred the previous superintendent of police, additional superintendent of police and assistant superintendent of police of the district.
Besides, the Chattogram Range DIG and commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police were also transferred.
All these developments came in the last couple of weeks.
While it is not possible to change the character of Police personnel through transfer orders the fact that they can no longer operate with impunity will constantly dawn upon them as they conduct their duties.
Cox’s Bazar is the gateway to Bangladesh from Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal. The tourist district has been adversely affected by the influx of Rohingya people from Myanmar, which contributed to worsening law and order situation in the district. A rise in narcotics smuggling, robbery and murder has occurred since 2017. It is suspected that the Police administration and local politicians are involved with the drug mafia in the sensitive district according to intelligence officials.
The government’s timely measures are being received positively in Bangladesh.
Though Police corruption will not go away over night as it is connected with corruption in the general society these corrective measures will bring improvement in the law and order situation of Cox’s Bazar.
