Police high-ups have demanded abolishing District Law and Order Review Committees across the country, citing the district administration’s “excessive influence” into investigations of criminal cases.
Senior officials of the police department placed the demand at a conference attended by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the Rajarbagh Police Lines auditorium in Dhaka on Tuesday, the third day of Police Week 2020.
Police officials, who attended the event, requesting anonymity, confirmed the development.
Sylhet’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Farid Uddin first placed the issue at the event, saying that through the District Law and Order Review Committee, the district administration tend to influence and interfere in investigations of criminal cases.
He also urged the home ministry to dismantle the committee, as it causes “inconvenience” for police while probing cases.
Later, Comilla’s SP Syed Nazrul Islam, among others, placed their support for the demand.
SP Nazrul recommended the inclusion of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) at the national level anti-narcotics committee, and SPs at the district-level committees.
Assuring them of making the committees more time-befitting, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said he would discuss the issue with the Security Services Division.
Narayanganj’s SP Jayedul Alam suggested that instead of SPs themselves, a representative from the police department should be kept at different district-level committees.
According to sources, police officials were having a tough time at the review committees as relations with district officials continue to worsen over these issues.
Complications arise when the committee further probes a criminal case that is already being investigated by police.
Although it is mandatory for an SP to attend meetings held by the committee, headed by the district commissioner (DC), the highest ranking officials of district police avoid attending the meetings due to the conflict.
The SPs say they have separate metropolitan, district and range-level committees to deal with cases. But, such review committees continue to create complications with the workflow.
According to them, an SP understands better than a DC on how to review a case, which is why they find DCs heading the committees as “illogical.”
The police officials also fear that these committees serve as a tool for officials of the district administration to influence them.
At the seminar, SP Mohammad Azad Khan, stationed at the Anti-Corruption Commission, suggested the deputation of police officers at different posts, including director general of the commission, to help expedite its investigation.
Meanwhile, SPs of different districts raised a number of demands, such as supplying vehicles for additional and assistant SPs, and ensuring healthcare, accommodation and education facilities for the police officials and their families.
Arranging beds for drug abusers undergoing treatment at district-level government hospitals and appointing high officials as officers-in-charge at metropolitan police stations were among the demands.
Mostafa Kamal Uddin, senior secretary to public security division of the home ministry, told the conference that the demands will be taken into consideration.
At the same time, the home minister said steps were being taken to set up a medical core in the police department, and urged IGP Mohammad Javed Patwary to form a committee to modernize the organisational structure of the police force.
