Law enforcement is an incredibly important arm of governance which allows people to feel safe -- unfortunately, in Bangladesh, the police force has all but yielded its responsibility to the wider public which has resulted in the current erosion of trust and goodwill.
A very common issue in our nation is the lack of safety or reliability of service -- in our cities or otherwise -- when going to the police for help. In fact, both the prime minister and the president have recently made similar remarks to our law enforcers which instructs them to serve the people. For such an obvious statement to be made by the highest seats of power in our country is, by itself, an indication that our police force has been anything but competent.
During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the early stages of the lockdown, there were numerous reports of law enforcement personnel abusing their state powers. And it was less than two years ago when a clearly radicalized police constable openly rebuked a passerby for wearing a teep, exposing some troubling holes in our police force’s vetting process in terms of recruitment. The less said the better about corruption within our police force.
Police officers have strict codes and moral standards which must always be adhered to, and flouting these rules should, in no way, be acceptable -- in fact, acting out of line should always result in swift suspension or even termination. Abuse of power, in whatever form, is simply unacceptable.
With Police Week 2024 in full swing, our law enforcement should take this opportunity to reform itself and make a renewed commitment to those they have sworn to protect.
A very common issue in our nation is the lack of safety or reliability of service -- in our cities or otherwise -- when going to the police for help. In fact, both the prime minister and the president have recently made similar remarks to our law enforcers which instructs them to serve the people. For such an obvious statement to be made by the highest seats of power in our country is, by itself, an indication that our police force has been anything but competent.
During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the early stages of the lockdown, there were numerous reports of law enforcement personnel abusing their state powers. And it was less than two years ago when a clearly radicalized police constable openly rebuked a passerby for wearing a teep, exposing some troubling holes in our police force’s vetting process in terms of recruitment. The less said the better about corruption within our police force.
Police officers have strict codes and moral standards which must always be adhered to, and flouting these rules should, in no way, be acceptable -- in fact, acting out of line should always result in swift suspension or even termination. Abuse of power, in whatever form, is simply unacceptable.
With Police Week 2024 in full swing, our law enforcement should take this opportunity to reform itself and make a renewed commitment to those they have sworn to protect.
