Editorial Desk :
The killing of a tea vendor by four policemen of Shah Ali police station in the city stirred nationwide public outcry once again as growing police brutalities are causing fear of uncertainty about police protection for the people. The police are blamed for mugging forcing victims to pay toll or else face frame-up cases and even cross-fire for failing to fulfil their demands.
Nothing could be more painful than the tea vendor has lost his life in the hands of the policemen who are for protecting the people.
News reports said police demanded a big amount of toll from the poor vendor in the morning and appeared in the evening again to take the money. But as the tea vendor showed his inability the policemen started to torture him and at one point vandalize his burning stove, which poured kerosene on his body and spread fire that burned the man as police looked on.
No regret, later the police filed a framed-up case showing him as a drug peddler and that the man was tortured by some locals framing them in the case in a bid to prove policemen’s innocence.
No responsible person will be able to avoid blaming higher authorities of police for the widespread
indiscipline in police. Defying of the law and killing persons through crossfire have been treated as normal police activities by the highest authorities which should be enough for destroying police as law enforcers.
It appears that police service is fast losing command and control and their involvement in crimes is only growing instead of slowing down.
People believe removal of five policemen of the Shah Ali police station including Officer-in-Charge (OC) is not enough, they must be immediately put on trial to reassure the nation that police are not out of the reach of law. They must be tried for killing the man through Speedy Trial Court.
It cannot be denied that all over Bangladesh the allegations of police involvement in crimes are a reality. Some police are active in committing crimes.
When police feel free to kill anybody and defy law then the people cannot expect any sense of security from the police. What cannot be denied is police have been used for political purposes and as a result discipline in police is breaking down.
Our fear is that the higher authorities in police are even helpless to do the necessary reform in keeping the police out of politics. But that should not be the case if police has to earn professional reputation as law enforcers.
The decision must be taken to ensure police to work as impartial law enforcing power and if it is to be used as political force of the government in power, then we are all unsafe and in trouble.
The killing of a tea vendor by four policemen of Shah Ali police station in the city stirred nationwide public outcry once again as growing police brutalities are causing fear of uncertainty about police protection for the people. The police are blamed for mugging forcing victims to pay toll or else face frame-up cases and even cross-fire for failing to fulfil their demands.
Nothing could be more painful than the tea vendor has lost his life in the hands of the policemen who are for protecting the people.
News reports said police demanded a big amount of toll from the poor vendor in the morning and appeared in the evening again to take the money. But as the tea vendor showed his inability the policemen started to torture him and at one point vandalize his burning stove, which poured kerosene on his body and spread fire that burned the man as police looked on.
No regret, later the police filed a framed-up case showing him as a drug peddler and that the man was tortured by some locals framing them in the case in a bid to prove policemen’s innocence.
No responsible person will be able to avoid blaming higher authorities of police for the widespread
indiscipline in police. Defying of the law and killing persons through crossfire have been treated as normal police activities by the highest authorities which should be enough for destroying police as law enforcers.
It appears that police service is fast losing command and control and their involvement in crimes is only growing instead of slowing down.
People believe removal of five policemen of the Shah Ali police station including Officer-in-Charge (OC) is not enough, they must be immediately put on trial to reassure the nation that police are not out of the reach of law. They must be tried for killing the man through Speedy Trial Court.
It cannot be denied that all over Bangladesh the allegations of police involvement in crimes are a reality. Some police are active in committing crimes.
When police feel free to kill anybody and defy law then the people cannot expect any sense of security from the police. What cannot be denied is police have been used for political purposes and as a result discipline in police is breaking down.
Our fear is that the higher authorities in police are even helpless to do the necessary reform in keeping the police out of politics. But that should not be the case if police has to earn professional reputation as law enforcers.
The decision must be taken to ensure police to work as impartial law enforcing power and if it is to be used as political force of the government in power, then we are all unsafe and in trouble.
