Bangladesh Police

Bangladesh Police
বাংলাদেশ পুলিশ
Bangladesh Police; বাংলাদেশ পুলিশ
	Bangladesh Police Medal (Bravery) – (BPM) Bangladesh Police Medal – Service (BPM-Seba); President Police Medal (Bravery) – (PPM); President Police Medal – Service (PPM-Seba);
Website
	www.police.gov.bd
	Service uniform: Midnight Blue, Khaki; ; Combat uniform:; Metropolitan : Tiffany Blue, Midnight Blue; ; Range Police : Navy Blue, Midnight Blue;

Bangladesh Police officials in 2015

Bangladesh police.

The Bangladesh Police (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ পুলিশ) is the national law enforcement agency of Bangladesh, operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs.^[4] It plays a crucial role in maintaining peace, and enforcement of law and order within Bangladesh. Though the police are primarily concerned with the maintenance of law and order and security of persons and property of individuals, they also play a big role in the criminal justice system.^[5]^[6] Bangladesh police played an important role during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

History

Medieval period

Details of policing activities during the middle age are challenging to find. However, during the periods of the

Emperor Akbar: the Emperor organised his administrative structure introducing Fouzdari (the principal representative of the Emperor), Mir Adal and Kazi (the head of judicial department), and Kotwal (the chief police official of larger cities). This system was effective in maintaining the law and order in cities, and was implemented in Dhaka. Many district sadar police stations are still called Kotwali police stations. In the Mughal

period, Kotwal emerged as an institution.

A Fouzdar was appointed to every administrative unit of the government (district), under whom there were some artillery and cavalry forces. There was a disciplined police system during the Mughal period, though there was no professional police force like that in the British period.

British period [1857 - 1947]

In the early stage of the

Sir Robert Peel, then the Prime Minister, introduced a bill in the British Parliament in 1829 which created an organised civil police in London. The success of the London police in controlling social disorder and crime was admired by not only the people of England but also of European and American countries: New York city copied the London model with some modifications when it organised the first Municipal Police Force, in 1833.^[7]

In 1858, full control of the Indian Territory was taken over from the East India Company by the British government. The success of the London police organised under Peel's Act of 1829 prompted the British government to reform the police system in the sub-continent in a similar way to British constabularies. With this end in view, a police commissioner was set up 1861, and on the recommendation of the commission of the Police Act (Act V of 1861), was passed by the British Parliament. Under this Act a police force was created in each province of British India, and placed under the control of the provincial government. The administration of the police force of a province was vested upon an officer styled as the Inspector-general of police. The administration of the police in a district was placed under the Superintendent of Police. The Act is still in force throughout the sub-continent, and regulates the function of police in Bangladesh, as well as the other countries of the sub-continent.^[7]

Pakistan period [1947 - 1970]

After partition of the sub-continent in 1947, the police force in Bangladesh was first named as the East Bengal Police, and then as the East Pakistan Police; however, it continued to function on the same lines as during the British rule.^[8]

Role in Liberation War [1971]

In the

Bangladesh Liberation war.^[9]^[10] Bangladesh Police founded a Liberation War Museum at the Rajarbagh police line in January 2017.^[11]

Bangladesh period [1971 - present]

After the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent country on 16 December 1971, the police force was recognised and assumed the role of a national police force.

Bangladesh Awami League. The police had been using the boat in its symbol since the independence of Bangladesh.^[12]

Organisation

Bangladesh Police is headed by the

Inspector General of Police

(IGP), under whose command, Bangladesh Police is divided into several units.

Units

Subnational units

Specialized units

Traffic Police
Airport Armed Police (AAP)
Diplomatic Security Division ([1])
Tourist Police (Website)
Highway Police
Industrial Police (IP)
River Police
Railway Police (GRP) (Website)
Police Air Wing
Mountain Police
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Police Force^[13]

Specialized Battalions

Special Security and Protection Battalion (SPBn)
Special Armed Force (SAF)
Range Police and Range Reserve Force (RRF)
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)
Armed Police Battalion (APBn)

Specialized Team

Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT)
Crisis Response Team (CRT)
Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU)
Bomb Disposal Unit
Canine Unit

Institutes

Police Headquarters (PHQ)
Police Staff College, Bangladesh (PSC)
Bangladesh Police Academy, Sarda
(BPA)
Police Training Centers
(PTCs)
Specialized Training Center like DTS/TDS/FTC/SBTS/IPTC/ITTS/Telecom TS/MDTS/PSTS etc.

Intelligences

Special Branch (SB)
Detective Branch
(DB)
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CT)
Police Internal Oversight (PIO)
Cyber Security and Crime Division
Telecommunication and Information Management (T&IM)

Investigation Unit

Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI)

Ranks

Superior officers

Rank group				Senior officers			Junior officers
Bangladesh Police v t e
Bangladesh Police v t e	Inspector general of police	Additional inspector general of police^{[note 1]}	Deputy inspector general of police	Additional deputy inspector general of police	Superintendent of police^{[note 2]}	Additional superintendent of police	Senior assistant superintendent of police	Assistant superintendent of police
Metropolitan Branch		Commissioner of Police^{[note 3]}	Commissioner of Police Additional Police Commissioner^{[note 4]}	Additional Police Commissioner Joint Commissioner of Police^{[note 5]}	Deputy Commissioner of Police	Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police	Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police	Assistant Commissioner of Police
Industrial Police			Director General	Additional Director General	Director	Deputy Director	Senior Assistant Director	Assistant Director

Subordinate officers

Rank group					Enlisted
Bangladesh Police v t e
Bangladesh Police v t e	Inspector of police	Sub-inspector	Sergeant	Assistant sub-inspector	Nayek	Constable
Armed Branch	Armed Inspector of Police	Armed Sub-Inspector		Armed Assistant Sub-Inspector	Naik	Constable
Industrial Police	Deputy Assistant Director	Circle Commander		Assistant Sub-Inspector	Naik	Constable
Traffic Division	Traffic Inspector	Town Sub-Inspector	Sergeant	Assistant Town Sub-Inspector		Traffic Constable

Medals

Police medals are awarded every year in the annual Police Week Parade. They are awarded both for bravery and service.

Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM)

Bangladesh Police Medal (Bravery)
Bangladesh Police Medal (Service)
President Police Medal (Bravey)
President Police Medal (Service)

Selection and training

The recruitment process differs according to the level of position being recruited to, and direct entry (where an applicant does not have to start at the lowest level) is possible. The educational requirements increase with rank. A minimum bachelor's degree is required for Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sub-Inspector, and Sergeant, and for Constable, a Secondary School Certificate is required. Recruitment is conducted in the following three tiers:

In the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)
In the rank of Sub-Inspector (SI) or Sergeant
In the rank of Constable

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)

The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) are recruited by the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) through the competitive Bangladesh Civil Service the Bangladesh Police Academy as Probationary ASPs. After passing from the academy, they undergo an orientation training for six months in the district level as a probationer. After that they have been appointed as a full-fledged ASPs in different units.

Sub-Inspector (SI)

Sub-Inspectors are recruited by Police Headquarters centrally. They undergo a one-year-long training in the Bangladesh Police Academy as Outside Cadet Sub-Inspectors. After that they have partake in two years probationary period in different police units. After that they have been appointed as a full-fledged SIs in different units.

Sergeant

Sergeants are recruited by Police Headquarters centrally. After appointment they undergo a one-year-long training course in the Bangladesh Police Academy, at the rank of Probationary Sergeant. After passing from the academy, they also undergo an orientation training of one year in the rank of probationer.

Constable

Constables are recruited in the district level. They undergo a six-month-long training in the Police Training Centre as a Trainee Recruit Constable career (TRC).

Training institutions

The main training institution of the Bangladesh Police is the

Noakhali. The Detective Training School

was established in 1962 in Dhaka.

List of training institutions

Police Staff College, Dhaka
Bangladesh Police Academy, Sardah, Rajshahi
Police Training Centre, Tangail
Police Training Centre, Rangpur
Police Training Centre, Khulna
Noakhali
Detective Training School (DTS), Rajarbagh, Dhaka
Forensic Training Institute, Malibagh, Dhaka
Special Branch Training School, Malibagh, Dhaka

Police Peacekeepers' Training School, Rajarbagh, Dhaka
Police Special Training School (PSTS), Betbunia, Rangamati
Traffic and Driving School (TDS), Mill Barrack, Dhaka
Motor Driver Training School (MDTS), Jamalpur
Telecommunications Training School, T&IM, Rajarbagh, Dhaka
Armed Police Battalion and specialised training centre, Khagrachari
Rapid Action Battalion Forces Training School,
Gazipur
Armed Police Battalion Training School

Moreover, there are in-service training centres in different districts.

Community policing

In Bangladesh police, community policing is an organisation with the aims of promoting community, government and police partnerships, proactive problem solving, and community engagement to address the causes of crime, fear of crime and community issues. Bangladesh Police have been trying to implement this philosophy nationwide. The Police Reform Program (PRP), a UNDP funded project, has been providing Bangladesh Police with technical assistance to implement community-policing nationwide.^[15]

Strategic partnership

Under the strategic partnership there are:

a National Community Policing Advisory Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs
a National Community Policing Co-ordination Committee headed by the IGP or an additional Inspector General of Police at the Police Headquarters
a Crime Prevention Centre, set up in the police Headquarters having the Detective Inspector General (Crime) at the focal point

Implementation partnership

The implementation partnership starts at the district level: There is a district community-policing cell in every district under the Superintendent of Police. The Additional SP or an ASP looks after the district community-policing cell. Secondly, in the police station level, there is a community policing cell with a full-time community policing officer (CPO), who coordinates the community policing activities in the police station jurisdiction.

Beat policing

In 2016 Dhaka Metropolitan Police under DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia implemented the beat policing Dhaka city. In this regard, each Police Station is divided into some police beats, and for each beat there is an assigned Beat Policing Officer for a tenure of 2 years.^[16]

Women in Bangladesh Police

UN peace-keeping operations

Since its first mission in Namibia in 1989, the Bangladesh Police has contributed to numerous UN peace-keeping missions.^[17]

List of completed and present

UNPOL and FPU Peacekeeping missions participated by Bangladesh Police:^[18]

Sl. No	Name of mission	Country	Period
1	UNTAG	Namibia	1989–1990
2	UNTAC	Cambodia	1992–1994
3	UNPROFOR	Yugoslavia	1992–1996
4	ONUMOZ	Mozambique	1993–1994
5	UNAMIR	Rwanda	1993–1995
6	UNMIH	Haiti	1994–1995
7	UNAVEM III	Angola	1995–1999
8	UNTAES	East Slovenia	1996–1998
9	UNMIBH	Bosnia	1996–2002
10	UNTAET	East Timor	1999–2002^{[citation needed]}
11	UNMIK	Kosovo	1999–2009
12	UNAMSIL	Sierra Leone	2000
13	UNMIL	Liberia	2003–present
14	UNOCI	Ivory Coast	2004–present
15	UNMIS	Sudan	2005–2011
16	MONUSCO	DR Congo	2005–present
17	UNMIT	East Timor	2006–2012
18	UNAMID	Darfur	2007–present
19	UNAMA	Afghanistan	2008–2010
20	UNMISS	South Sudan	2011–present^{[citation needed]}

Corruption and controversies

Bangladesh Police has been criticized for having political influence in all levels, and the major decisions are taken under political conditions. Corruption is widespread among the law enforcement, with custody deaths and torture being prevalent.

In 2016 January, Dhaka South City Corporation official was tortured by Dhaka Metropolitan Police members.

Attacks on secularists in Bangladesh.^[26] Wife of Avijit Roy had accused Bangladesh Police of Inactivity during the attack on her husband.^[27] British Government has faced criticism for its aid to Bangladesh Police which could be used to suppress dissidents.^[28]

Mohammad Harun-Ur-Rashid, Superintendent of Police, is the head of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Tejgaon division. He has faced a number of controversies.^[29] On 3 November 2019, he kidnapped the wife and minor son of Showkat Aziz Russell, Chairperson of Amber group, for the purpose of extortion from Gulshan and shifted them to Narayanganj. He was removed from his post in Narayanganj after the incident came to light.^[30] He continued working at the post four days after his transfer came through.^[31] The Business Standard, a Bangladeshi newspaper, described him as a "case of police impunity".^[32] He made the news first on 6 July 2011 for assaulting Zainul Abdin Farroque, Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician, opposition whip, and member of parliament. He was awarded and promoted for the assault on Zainul.^[30]^[33] In November 2019, a video of him went viral, where he and other police officers were seen attacking a referee in a friendly football match.^[33]

Notes

^ Split into Grades 1 and 2
^ Assistant inspector general if in police HQ. Special superintendent if in special branch or Criminal Investigation Department. Superintendent of railway police if in railway police.
^ In Dhaka Metropolitan Police
^ In Dhaka Metropolitan Police
^ Only in Dhaka Metropolitan Police

References

^ "Bangladeshi police peacekeepers need more skills: UN official". The Daily Star. 28 June 2018.
^ Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009). World Population Prospects, Table A.1 (PDF) (Report). 2008 revision. United Nations. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
^ "Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun named new IGP". The Daily Star. 2022-09-22.
^ "Demands for Grants and Appropriations 2012-13" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-02-24. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
^ "Bangladesh Police official website". Bangladesh Police. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
^ "Innocent must not face torture, harassment". The Daily Star. 2019-02-05. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Police administration, interrogation of offenders". The New Nation. 8 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
^ "History of Bangladesh Police". Retrieved 2016-03-20.
^ "Valour of Rajarbagh goes on display". The Daily Star. 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
^ "A glimpse into police history". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
^ "Police war museum". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
^ "Boat dropped from police emblem". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
^ Khan, Mohammad Jamil (2020-03-05). "Metro rail to get special police unit". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
^ "History". Police Staff College Bangladesh. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
^ "Community Policing in Bangladesh". The Independent. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
^ "Community and bit policing to remove people's fear". Dhaka Tribune. Dhaka Tribune. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^ "Bangladesh Police in UN Missions". Bangladesh Police. Archived from the original on 2018-01-21. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
^ "List of Mission Completed UNPOL and FPU Peacekeepers". Bangladesh Police. Archived from the original on 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
^ "Police brutality continues". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "Police officer 'tried to blackmail Bangladesh Bank official' threatening Yaba taint". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "BB official assault: SI Masud did not behave like police, says Home Minister". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "Policemen's involvement in crimes rising". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "Police going overboard on government indulgence, says BNP". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ Huq Zahid, Shamsul. "Are police unaccountable?". The Financial Express. Dhaka. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "10 cops disciplined". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "Petition calls for Bangladeshi police chief to resign after he warned secularists not to insult religion". National Secular Society. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "Wife of murdered US blogger Avijit Roy says Bangladesh police 'did not act' during attack". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ Holehouse, Matthew. "Did British aid help Bangladeshi police lock up dissidents?". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
^ "Decision on SP Harun after IGP returns home: Police Headquarters". The Business Standard. 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
^ ^a ^b "SP Harun appointed DMP Tejgaon division chief". Dhaka Tribune. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
^ "SP Harun still in N'ganj 4 days after withdrawal". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
^ "SP Harun: A case of impunity for police excess". The Business Standard (Opinion). 2019-11-05. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
^ ^a ^b "SP Harun finally returns to DMP". New Age. Retrieved 2020-07-26.