Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed dissatisfaction with the authorities concerned, for not implementing the earlier demands of the police force, despite her instructions in this regard.
She also asked the authorities concerned to inform her at the earliest, why the demands still remained unfulfilled.
Police personnel of several ranks shared the news with Dhaka Tribune after the premier attended the Kalyan Parade, inaugurating the Police Week 2020 at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka on Sunday.
According to police sources in a closed door meeting, almost all the demands raised during Police Week in the last two years, have remained unmet despite the prime minister's directive and assurance.
The police reiterated their unmet demands at Sunday's Kalyan Parade.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the inauguration of the Police Week 2020 at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka on Sunday, January 5, 2020 | Focus Bangla
Allowance of low-ranking employees
According to sources, for low ranking employees, allowances for telephone, bugle, nursing, driving, and cleaning, range between Tk15 and Tk30.
Police demanded raising the allowances to maintain a balance in line with the current pay structure.
Citing limitations in this regard, the prime minister said the allowance could be increased according to the 2015 pay structure, sources said.
1 month financial benefit for holidays
Police sources said government officials and employees of other departments enjoy various types of holidays for around 120 days in a year. But due to the type of work and pressure, police personnel can never enjoy their holidays.
As they are on duty on those holidays, they demanded police be paid an amount equal to the basic salary for two months.
The prime minister agreed to provide one month's basic salary.
Training allowance
Police sources said there is a 30% training allowance for all levels of officials and employees in other government training institutes. But only assistant superintendents of police or higher officials, working at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Rajshahi's Sarda, and the Bangladesh Police Staff College in Dhaka's Mirpur, get a 30% allowance now.
Police demanded that it should be adjusted or coordinated with other government offices.
Sheikh Hasina said it is logical to provide the same benefits at police training centres.
Lifetime two member rationing system
Police personnel work under various risky and unhealthy conditions. So they suffer from various types of illnesses after retirement, while others can manage to work at different jobs.
At that time, as their lives and livelihoods become very difficult, police demanded a lifetime benefit of a two person ration.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to implement this, they said.
Allowance contradicts in deaths
Officials and employees of other government institutions or departments get Tk8 lakh as a one time payout to the family if they die vacation. The police, by contrast, get Tk5 lakh in case of death in an anti-militant operation.
A government employee is given Tk4 lakh when they get injured in a road accident or any other way, while police receive Tk1 lakh if injured, even if it is on a drive.
The facts were already placed in previous meetings with the prime minister, but the issues have yet to be resolved, they said.
The prime minister expressed her dissatisfaction with the unsolved issue and ordered the matter be resolved within seven working days, police sources said.
PM disagrees on smuggled goods' incentive
Some government agencies, including the police, recover smuggled, stolen, or illegal goods. While members of other organizations receive an incentive on the value of their seized goods, the police do not receive any such benefit.
So the police demanded they be given at least a 2.5% incentive on the recovered goods. However, the prime minister disagreed with the matter, sources said.
When asked regarding the meeting with the prime minister, Md Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general of police (media and public relations), said the successes of the police in the last year, were highlighted for the prime minister at the Kalyan Parade.
Some other reasonable demands to enable the police to increase the quality of professional services were also placed before her, he added.
