The Home Ministry has proposed creation of 13,039 more posts as part of the government plan to recruit 50,000 police members to improve country’s law and order, according to officials concerned.
Moreover, the Finance Ministry has sought further negotiation with the Home Ministry regarding procurement of the motor vehicles worth Tk518 crore.
The Home Ministry in a letter yesterday sought advance list from the police directorate to create 13,039 posts along with setting up fresh information centres or police stations across the country.
The letter signed by Senior Assistance Secretary Fazana Jesmin of the Home Ministry was also sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, and the public administration and the finance ministries.
A Finance Division official says the government is likely to allocate Tk507 crore for payment of salaries for recruiting 4,398 police personnel next fiscal year. It is expected that the government will allocate a total fund of Tk1,000 crore for setting up new police stations and procuring motor vehicles in 2015-16 fiscal year.
A total of Tk10,000 crore is needed for the appointment of 50,000 fresh police personnel in the next couple of years, the official added.
A Home Ministry official said the Public Administration Ministry was processing to create 32,563 posts and the Finance Division 4,398 posts. But the police directorate is yet to send any proposal regarding the rest of the 13,039 posts.
The first phase of the appointment will start in the beginning of the next fiscal year, the official said.
An official of the Expenditure Control Department under the Finance Division said: “We are preparing the proposal to create 4,398 posts. It may be approved next week.”
He also said it needs further discussion with the Home Ministry regarding the procurement of motor vehicles.
A semi-official letter sent by Finance Minister AMA Muhith on March 12 to the Expenditure Control Department reads: “During a meeting with State Minister of for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and the inspector general of police at my office, they discussed about creating 4,398 posts along with disbursement of Tk518 crore for procurement of motor vehicles.”
But they want to approval of number of motor vehicles for procurement and they also mentioned number of vehicles will purchase as per disbursement of the budget fund this year, letter revealed.
The minister’s letter also mentioned that he had not given his consent about the procurement of vehicles as he was yet to discuss the matter with the Expenditure Control Department.
Last February, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her resolve to bring all militants and terrorists to book and announced that 50,000 people would be appointed in the police force to further improve the law and order situation in the country.
“Initially, 20,000 members will be appointed in Bangladesh Police, while recruitment of the rest will take place in phases,” she said at a programme in Sardah, Rajshahi.
Hasina said over the last five years, her government modernised the police force and created more than 31,000 new posts, including 614 cadre posts.
Two weeks ago, at the inauguration of new cyber crime unit, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman said the government would appoint 50,000 new police personnel soon.
“We are reshuffling the police administration to modernise the force as criminals now use sophisticated technology,’’ he said.
