Hasina calls Bangladesh Police to defend democratic values

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the Bangladesh Police to give up the colonial-era approach of law-enforcement and defend democratic values.

Her call came on Monday while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Police Week.

"Police have to imbibe the spirit of democracy  and be more people-friendly," she told the gathering at the Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka.

Police have to focus on community policing in order to create a safe and peaceful society, the prime minister said. “Every police officer should do everything to improve their service to the poor and the vulnerable."

The theme for this year’s Police Week is “Bangladesh Police commit to fight against militancy and drugs”.

The prime minister awarded 132 officers with the Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM) and the Presidential Police Medal (PPM) at the ceremony on Monday.

Twenty-six officers received the 2016 BPM and 41 officers received the PPM for bravery and courageous acts.

Twenty-four officers received the BPM (service) and 41 officers received the PPM for solving important cases, controlling crime, efficiency, honesty and discipline.

“We have never given away so many medals before,” the prime minister told the gathering, “These medals demonstrate your proficiency, your merit and your role in protecting the people.”

The prime minister also inspected the parade by the police and received their salute.

Hasina described the Bangladesh police as a symbol of peace, security and order.

“The effective action taken by the police to combat militancy in 2016 has saved our country from destruction and destabilisation.”

The bravery, skill and professionalism displayed by police to fight terrorism and militancy has restored ‘trust and security’ to the population and has been praised worldwide, she said.

“Terrorism and militancy are global challenges and has become a major obstacle to our development.”

The prime minister also remembered the four police officers who died during the attacks in Gulshan and Sholakia.

“Many lives were saved due to the great sacrifice of these officers.”

Hasina praised the counter-terrorism operations undertaken by the police in Ashulia’s Ashkona and Mirpur’s Kalyanpur, saying the police raids had delivered strict action against the terror networks and their 'masterminds, arms sellers, trainers and accomplices’ .

“As Bangladesh has gained self-respect and become self-reliant on the global stage, a conspiracy has been hatched to try and stop our progress.”

“Having failed to win the hearts of the people by democratic means they have resorted to terrorism.”

The prime minister said they were trying to push the young to militancy by creating ‘confusion in the name of religion’.

“They are arming themselves with mistaken interpretations of religion and trying to provoke barbarism through violent attacks.”

Hasina thanked the police for their role in allaying the political unrest since the Tenth National Parliamentary Elections.

“Since February of 2013, isolated anti-democratic, anti-liberation war groups involved with BNP and Jamaat-Shibir have attempted to create instability through violence, sabotage, arson, the destruction of state property and the murder of innocents. But police has firmly stood up against them.”

She also thanked them for ensuring ‘free, fair and impartial’ elections through their ‘efficient, professional and devoted’ fulfilment of their duties.

Source: bdnews24