The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Cox's Bazar

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad today said that he would place a proposal before the government in favour of tourist policing in the sea beach areas of the district.

"I will make my most sincere efforts in placing a proposal before the government for introducing tourist policing in the 120 km beach upto Teknaf," he said while inaugurating Cox's Bazar Sea Beach Police Camp and Cox's Bazar Model Thana here.

The IGP said if the government gives necessary approval to this proposal, tourist policing could be introduced in the greater interest of the safety and security of the visitors to the world's longest sea beach in the district.

During a discussion with local journalists, Nur Mohammad said the proposal was already prepared for the tourist policing with 192 personnel including two Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) and required number of women police under the Superintendent of Police of the district.

"This will help ensure safety and security of the tourists side by side with preservation of biodiversity, stopping cutting of hills and lifting of stones, encouraging environment-friendly tourism and quick transfer of beach people to safer places during natural calamities," he said.

The proposal has the provision for six outposts at Adinath Mandir, Diabetic Point, Saikat Police Camp, Kolatoli Point, Himchhari Police Camp and Inani Sea-beach Point in the district.

The IGP said the proposed tourist police after achieving success in the beach areas of the district could also be engaged in other such tourism spots including Kuakata for the same reasons.

Speaking in favour of the proper maintenance of law and order, Nur Mohammad said the number of police personnel should be raised to 2.5 lakh from the current 1.23 lakh.

In this respect he referred to India and Pakistan and said, "we need to have 2.5 lakh police personnel to properly maintain law and order. There are 1.23 lakh police personnel now in the country."

The IGP said the government despite various constraints has been giving importance upon community policing, so the common people are not deprived of desired service.

He also referred to the people-friendly service of the police force and said the field-level corruption has come down considerably after enforcing reform in the police department.