Police officials yesterday placed a number of demands directly before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, including increased death allowances, the establishment of a medical core, and lifetime rations for two family members of retired officials.
The demands were made at a meeting organized as part of Police Week 2019 in Dhaka.
Police sources told the Dhaka Tribune the prime minister took note of the demands, placed by policemen ranked from constable to additional superintendent of police, and assured that necessary steps would be taken to implement them.
Kurigram District Assistant Sub-Inspector Mahbubur Rahman demanded lifetime rations for two family members of police officials who retire.
Currently, ration facilities for policemen expire once they go into retirement, and the assistant sub-inspector asked that at least food supply be continued.
Gaffargaon police station Officer in Charge (Inspector) Abdul Ahad Khan requested increased allowances for family members of policemen killed or injured in the line of duty.
He asked that compensation for families of policemen killed on duty be raised from the current Tk5 lakh to Tk8 lakh, and that compensation for injured officials be raised from Tk1 lakh to Tk4 lakh.
The OC also proposed Tk15 lakh in compensation for families of police officials killed during special operations and drives, and Tk8 lakh in compensation for those wounded in such operations.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Sergeant Silvia Ferdous demanded that allowances for services such as nursing and driving be brought in line with the new salary structure.
Sub-Inspector Kamrul Alam requested that field level police officials who use personal motorcycles on duty be given special allowances for managing fuel and maintenance costs.
DMP Constable Kamrun Nahar asked for the establishment of a sports complex for police forces, to encourage physical activity.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Shafi demanded the formation of a separate medical core for police forces.
He also asked that the number of beds at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Dhaka Police Hospital be raised to 10, and that 5 beds at ICUs be reserved for police in each district.
In response, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the lifetime rationing system would need to be scrutinized, but assured that all of the other proposals would be considered for implementation.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary were present at the meeting, among others.
Police Week will conclude on Friday, February 8.
