80 percent of women police recruited in last 9 years

Nearly 80 percent of the women police have made their way into the country's law enforcing agency in the past nine and a half years, thanks to the Prime Minister's ten special initiatives one of which targets women empowerment. 

Out of the 11,767 women currently in the police service, 9247 or around 80.0 percent were recruited in the two consecutive tenures of the Awami League-led government, according to official data.

The data also show that the interest of the women in working with the police force has been increasing day by day as their number surged to 11,676 in March this year from only 2520 in 2008. The women police, however, still represent only 6.66 percent of the total police force that consists of 1 lakh 98 thousand 653 police personnel. 

In accordance with the guidance of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 14 women were initially appointed in the police force in 1974. Following the footsteps, her daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expanded the way to women to become police. As a result, women are now holding some important positions in the country's law enforcing agency.

Of the total women police, two are now deputy inspector general (DIG), four additional DIG, 37 police supers, 93 additional police supers, 126 assistant police supers, 110 inspectors (unarmed), 646 sub inspectors, 55 police sergeants, 928 assistant sub inspectors, 28 nayeks and 9338 are constables.

Asked about the challenges of women in joining the police force, DIG Rowshan Ara Begum told BSS the society was not accommodating enough like now a days when she joined the police 30 years ago.

"People even could not think of seeing a woman police. But, the mindset of the people has been changed as days go by, encouraging women in taking the job", she said.

The high police official said that becoming police is a challenge for all; and both the men and women police face similar challenges while performing their professional duties. 

"I had gone through many experiences in my over three decades of career in the police force when enjoyed mostly to make someone smile by giving his or her desired service," she said.

Rowshan Ara said the female police also equally take the challenges like their male colleagues to deal with any critical case, operation or any other professional duty.

Talking about the challenges and prospect of the women for working in police force, Additional Deputy Commissioner (traffic east) Nazmun Naher happily said that the working environment in the police force is very good and inspiring for women. 

"The behaviour of the male colleagues towards us is also very pleasant, which is very important for working in a condition where maintaining law and order and security is the prime duty" she said. 

Nazmun Naher said the training that a female police got also works as the driving force in performing our professional duties with similar commitment and efficiency like their male colleagues.

She said currently two female sergeants, two female assistant sub inspectors and four female constables have been working successfully likewise their male colleagues in the traffic east division.

The police official pointed out a problem that the women in other professions also face in their every day family life. 

"Unlike male, we have to do our household jobs besides performing professional duties," she said advising that male should share their household jobs so more women can get in their choice of professions.

Besides in regular police force, Women Police Battalion with 258 members has been successfully performing it duties such as patrolling at airports and security check points since its inception in 2011.

Apart from working as police in the country, many women have long been working as peacekeepers in different UN missions. Currently, 77 women police are assigned to different UN missions while 1109 female police completed the similar assignments. 

Establish in 2008, Bangladesh Police Women Network (BPWN) has been working for years to make female police capable of giving leadership in the country and overseas.

Source: bss