A new study released Tuesday claimed that 82% of the people had expressed satisfaction with the functioning of police while 54.5% said they did not have to bribe police in exchange for their services.
The findings may come as a surprise to many against the backdrop of a report of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) published last month, which branded the police as the most corruption-plagued institution alongside political parties.
The study was conducted under the Criminology and Criminal Justice Programme of the sociology department of Dhaka University. The report titled “Public Satisfaction with Current Policing Practice” is based on the responses of 617 people who had gone to 46 police stations in Dhaka city to lodge complaints.
Addressing the launching ceremony of the report at the Senate building of Dhaka University, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir Tuesday criticised the past caretaker government for staying in power for two years illegally.
“It is time we talked about the corruption of the last caretaker government that had held office for two years although they were supposed to be in office for three months only,” he said.
“Those who come to power from the seat of judges and try to capture state power at gunpoint were not punished enough,” he said.
Inspector General of Police Hasan Mahmud Khandakar, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed, Rab’s Director Gen Mokhlesur Rahman, among others, attended the function.
“Our researchers have noticed that 72% of the people did not pay additional money while filing a general diary. In addition, 70% of the people that went to police stations for police advice and 56% who sought police protection did not give an extra amount of money for the service,” Prof Mahbub who led the research team, said.
The research found a significant shift in the perception of people about the police department’s service.
Speaking at the function, DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed lambasted the TIB survey report and claimed the police department had been criticised cruelly and unjustly in the TIB release.
“The TIB says we ranked first in corruption, but how is it possible for us to be the most corrupt when 82% people say they got good behaviour from police and about 55% report that they did not have to bribe the police?” Benazir said.
IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandakar praised the police, terming the police department as a “charity organisation” at present.
