At a meeting yesterday, a parliamentary watchdog observed that the police filed cases against thousands of unidentified people on charges of violent activities, mainly carried out by political parties, just as a means of extorting money from people.
The parliamentary standing committee on the home ministry said the police civil unit was out to collect money from the people.
Police authorities at the meeting did not refute the MPs allegations but assured the watchdog that they would investigate the activities of the law enforcement agencies and take necessary action.
Jatiya Party MP and committee member Mujibul Haque raised two issues at the meeting.
“You file cases against thousands of unidentified people for violence committed by mobs. Are all people violent? Hardly 20-30 people take part in any violence,” Haque told the inspector general of police. He said the police could not issue charge sheets against thousands of people.
“Police use it as a tool of extortion. Anyone declining to give money faces charges,” said the MP. “You must stop this.”
Other members at the meeting agreed with him.
He also raised the issue of extortion of the civil units of the police.
“The civil units of the police have been involved in extortion. Please close down these units; the common people are fed up with such civil units set up at every police station,” said Haque.
He said the recent incident of extortion by the civil unit of police in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar was an example of the civil unit taking money illegally from the common people.
Police personnel arrested some members of the civil unit of the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar thana collecting money from a rickshaw puller.
The authorities will review the allegations and suggestions and take action against the persons responsible, said the inspector general.
Police officers say the civil units, whose members dress in civilian attire, have been created in every police station as a means to arrest criminals. The civilian units work in many cases to track down criminals.
Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, the home minister, did not attend the meeting. The committee members State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku, Sanjida Khanam and Shofiqul Islam attended the meeting led by the committee Chairman Sayedul Haque.