Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the government has succeeded in transforming the police force into a more people-friendly institution and emphasized the need to continue supporting them so they can work in line with public expectations and uphold the rule of law.
“They need our moral support and encouragement so that they can continue to work in accordance with public expectations, the law, and the principles of the rule of law,” the minister made the remarks on Monday while speaking to journalists after a ceremony at the Ministry of Home Affairs where police personnel were recognised for their performance and service.
Asked about the public image of law enforcement agencies, Salahuddin Ahmed said the ultimate judgment rests with the people.
“You can assess the current image of the law enforcement agencies and the police force. Ultimately, it is the people who will make the final judgment,” he said.
Reaffirming the government's approach to accountability, the minister said he believes in a policy of “reward and punishment.”
“Recognition for good work and action against misconduct, upholding what is right and suppressing wrongdoing, is our policy. We have demonstrated this in practice, and in the days ahead it will become clearer how successful we have been,” he said.
Responding to a question regarding a recent report by the Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), the home minister noted that the organisation is independent and not a part of the government.
“TIB is not a government organisation. You should obtain the statistics and the actual picture from the police department and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Then you can make your own.
The minister said he had not yet reviewed the report of TIB and noted that the findings the organization are often based on newspaper cuttings rather than independent investigations.
“TIB does not conduct investigations, nor does it always assess the actual circumstances before issuing statements,” he said.
He added that the government relies on official crime data compiled by the police from districts across the country. “What we have before us is the police crime record, which is collected from districts as part of our routine work. Those are factual data,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that newspapers publish numerous reports every day, which the government takes into consideration and examines.
“Not every reported incident can be assumed to be accurate. However, the media enjoys the freedom to publish, and we duly review such reports. Although I may not be able to read every newspaper clipping in the morning, I go through them during the day,” he said.
He said he regularly forwards relevant reports to the concerned departments for verification.
“I ask the relevant departments to examine the matter and provide their assessment of the actual facts,” he said. Referring again to the TIB report, the minister said it was largely based on media reports and declined to comment further on its findings.