SEVEN members of Detective Branch of Police have been suspended for their alleged involvement in taking Tk 4.5 lakh as extortion from a businessman by threatening him about crossfire. The suspended policemen included a Sub-Inspector, an Assistant Sub-Inspector and five constables. Maruf Hossain Sorder, Superintendent of Dhaka District Police, said: “We suspended them upon receiving complaints of harassing a man. We are investigating the allegation.” It was learnt that the accused policemen detained Sohel-a businessman from South Keraniganj area-on Wednesday and he was released after his family gave the policemen Tk 4.5 lakh. It’s not the first time when policemen are accused in criminal activities. In fact, the number of crimes committed by police personnel is plentiful. Earlier, the police top brass many times tried to avoid such complaints saying that criminals most of the times implicating themselves as law enforcement agency members commit such crimes. But, it was later proved that some members of the disciplined forces like Police, RAB and Ansar were involved in anti-social activities.
We still remember a few comments of a Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police that were given around two years back. He had mentioned how the corruption prevails in the postings of Officers-in-Charge and Sub-Inspectors while the prospective OCs have to pay about Tk 30 lakh to Tk 1.5 crore per head for their prized postings. Similarly, the amount of bribes for transfers of junior level police officers like Sub-Inspector also goes into the lakhs. What’s most surprising is that no measure was taken based on the accusation, and still the trend is going on in full swing. In the latest drives against drugs and casinos in the capital it was told that police stations nearby the gambling clubs were “totally unaware of the casinos”, which public thinks a blatant lie.
We think, only arresting a few policemen won’t bring any good result as they are given freedom to do corruption only to ensure their participation in political purposes.
We still remember a few comments of a Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police that were given around two years back. He had mentioned how the corruption prevails in the postings of Officers-in-Charge and Sub-Inspectors while the prospective OCs have to pay about Tk 30 lakh to Tk 1.5 crore per head for their prized postings. Similarly, the amount of bribes for transfers of junior level police officers like Sub-Inspector also goes into the lakhs. What’s most surprising is that no measure was taken based on the accusation, and still the trend is going on in full swing. In the latest drives against drugs and casinos in the capital it was told that police stations nearby the gambling clubs were “totally unaware of the casinos”, which public thinks a blatant lie.
We think, only arresting a few policemen won’t bring any good result as they are given freedom to do corruption only to ensure their participation in political purposes.
