Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged people of the country to help law enforcers arrest criminals to bring back peace and stability for the sake of development.
Bangladesh will be known as a peaceful country of South Asia where violence, militancy and terrorism have no room, she said.
The prime minister made her call to the nation while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Bangladesh Police Week-2015 at Rajarbagh Police Lines.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque and senior officials of Bangladesh police were, among others, present on the occasion.
The violence unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance is not only ruining the economy it is also maligning the image of the country abroad, she said.
Appreciating the role of law enforcers against terrorists and arsonists Hasina said they are discharging their duties with utmost responsibility even taking the risk of their lives in many cases.
In the year of 2013 the BNP-Jamaat alliance men killed about 17 police personnel and injured hundreds of others,” said the PM.
The premier in his speech referred to many development and reform measures her government had taken up to modernise the police department since it came to power.
She further said her government had taken decision to create 50,000 more posts for police.
“We have created over 31 thousand 744 posts including 739 cadre posts in the police department along with establishing many specialised units.”
People of the country can now reap the benefit of those specialised units like Industrial Police, Bureau of Investigation, Tourist Police, Marine Police and two security and protection battalions, she said.
The prime minister said the post of second-grade inspector was elevated to first-class one while third-class posts of sub-inspectors and sergeant to second-class ones.
Post of IGP has been upgraded to senior secretary level while another two grade-II posts of police service were made equivalent to secretary of the government.
The number of grade-one officers in the police will be upgraded, if necessary, she said noting that the IGP Rank Badge which was introduced by Father of the Nation had been reintroduced by the present government.
Sheikh Hasina said police members from constable to sub-inspector are getting 30% risk allowance and the government is mulling over a plan to introduce the risk allowance in all tiers of police department in phases.
Earlier in the morning, an attractive parade of members of different units of the police was held at police line filed on the occasion of Police Week.
Later, the prime minister adorned 86 police officials and constables with police medals for their outstanding contribution to providing services to people and demonstrating their professional excellence in the year of 2014.
