President Abdul Hamid yesterday asked the members of police force to deliver proper service, developing further a people-friendly attitude as “protector of law”.
“Your main responsibility is to ensure internal security of public life and property, establish the rule of law, combat terrorism and militancy,” he told senior police officials at a meeting on the occasion of Annual Police Week-2017 at Bangabhaban.
But, he said, the police force must uphold “human rights” and “democratic values” in delivering their services with a pro-people and people-friendly attitude.
“Getting the security of life and property is the right of people, it is not a matter of mercy,” the president said.
President Hamid recalled Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s first Police Week’s speech when he had asked police personnel to “serve, love and help people in their time of difficulty”.
The President said the police had a crucial role in the national development as well as “internal peace and discipline is the prerequisite to the development of the country”.
He lauded police’s role in clamping down terrorism or militancy and quickly exposing the culprits to justice in many sensational cases to build confidence among the common people.
The president noted police’s outstanding contribution to the UN peacekeeping missions abroad “upholding the image of the Bangladesh in the world arena”.
He suggested police to increase efficiency and knowledge in information and communication technology (ICT) and other techniques particularly to curb cyber crimes.
“Effective measures must be taken to combat crimes identifying the pattern of the area-based crimes,” he said.
He asked policemen to be firm in discharging their duties to establish social peace and justice.
“You must ensure that no criminal can get rid of justice while no innocent person is exposed to unnecessary harassment,” the President added.
He drew police officers attention to the changing nature of terrorism and militancy exceeding national boundaries and asked them to increase their capability to face the global phenomenon of terrorism.
He also suggested increased initiatives for enhanced people’s involvement in combating militancy through an intensified mass awareness campaign.
President Hamid, however, praised the police success so far in curbing terrorism and militancy also noting that their performance earned appreciation both nationally and internationally.
“Drug abuse has also become a worldwide problem. You have to be more responsible to free the society form the menace as part of your social responsibility as well,” Hamid said.
He also underscored the need for mass people’s involvement in the community policing to prevent crimes at community level.
President Hamid told police officials to take pragmatic steps to free at least one upazila in each district or one union within each Upazila to save youngsters from the clutches of drug abuse.
He hoped that local people, their representatives and other concerned would provide all-out cooperation in this regard.
Referring to women policing as well as women empowerment, the president said “we are proud of our women members in the Bangladesh Police”.
“Father of the Nation first took initiative through recruiting 14 women in police department in 1974 and the number is increasing day by day,” he said.
President Hamid also thanked all award winners who got Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM) and President Police Medal (PPM) for their outstanding contribution and heroic role in their respective services.
He hoped that all members of Bangladesh Police will work with utmost honesty, sincerity and dedication with the spirit of 1971 Liberation War to build a society based on democratic values, equity, justice and humanity to ensure ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, senior secretary of the home ministry Mozammel Haque Khan, and IGP AKM Shahidul Hoque, among other, were present on the occasion.
