The incident of a furious mob beating police personnel is no good sign of good public relations with the police. Recently we notice some disaffection tinged with anger against police among the people. Clash with the police at little provocation is happening frequently. Such a situation calls for introspection and not harsher police action. The case lodged against 450 persons is not understandable as appropriate in the present situation which is full of public grievances against the government in decline.
Such an untoward incident recently took place in the capital’s Jurain area when three police personnel were assaulted by an angry mob. There are two versions of the story. The police claimed that one traffic sergeant, Ali Hossain, came under attack because he stopped a motorcycle coming down the wrong side of the road. He wanted to see the documents of the motorcycle. The other version is that people beat the police for harassing the motorcyclist and his wife. In an unfortunate turn of events, people not only beat them but also vandalised the police box. The general people’s incitement against police concerns us.
Whatever is the truth behind the story the polarisation to make them closely integrated with the politics of the government including election rigging created chasm between the people and the police that cannot be denied by the high officials in the police. It is said that the corruption among the police is the highest in comparison to other departments of the government. The people cannot avoid going to the police for help but they cannot trust the police that it can act independently of government interference.
A few years ago a study of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies revealed 95 per cent of women interviewed said they were not willing to go to police for any help. This study also found that 65 per cent women believed that police, instead of standing beside the victims, put blame on them on the contrary; 57 per cent opined that police show unwillingness to file cases; and 53 per cent women said that they do not get any result after making complaints. These clearly point out the image of police as a law enforcing agency in the eyes of woman citizen.
Some police are cooperating with the criminal activities of the Awami League is too open to doubt.
The police in all civilised countries are seen as the people’s police for the protection against crimes and criminals. The people’s general grievance is, for their action or in action, the police are helpless against government supporters committing crimes against women, grabbing properties of others or extorting money. The country is in the control of criminal gangs with connection with government or its party. It is not realised by the government that for the activities of their party men even the good policies for the general public hardly benefits the people. Lucky ones are those who are able to stay away from the criminal gangs by remaining quiet. Such governments are vanished for their own sins leaving a trail of misdeeds.
In conclusion we hope high officials in the police will be sensible to protect its own pro-people image. The government can gamble with their public persona for playing in high stakes but, in our view, the police cannot.
