The New Nation - Internet Edition

Md. Masum Billah

We have got the test of all sorts of governments namely democratic, autocratic, military and caretaker government. All the governments claim to do something different from the previous ones but the poverty and the sufferings of the people have either remained static or become worse. No upward trend in the barometer has yet been discerned. Each government comes to the power with its special agenda which mostly reflect their political agenda or motif. There is no doubt about the fact that none of these agenda comes to the help of real poverty alleviation and other chronic problems of the country. Suppose, electricity is the vital point to go forward for any country but this point has been neglected for long. The stops taken by the governments in this filed seem to be meager or not up to the mark.

During the reign of democratic governments on mass arrest goes on to quell the protest of the opposition. But the government terms it as a part of endeavor to maintain law and order situation of the country. Many innocent people or not related with politics get arrested and the untold miseries and sufferings visit to their families. Yes, the government orders the police not to arrest any innocent people but the government does not have any mechanism to check whether police is following the point or not. As a result, police rest to their own way of exercising their brutal power without giving even a little consideration to the misers of the arrestees. This has been continuing unhindered year after year.

The autocratic government does the same thing just to uphold its own interest. The military government does it to create panic and to exercise its own power. The caretaker government has also shown no exception in this regard. It has also started on mass arrest since it came to power and still it continues with some special emphasis on corrupt people. Actually people think that the government has resumed it to create panic among the people so that they don't participate or respond to the call of AL declared countrywide signature programme.

Who think of the person who is the only earning member of a family has been arrested? The whole family depends on his income. He is in the custody of police but he does not know why he has been arrested. This phenomenon is very common in anytime arrest. The democratic government, autocratic, military and caretaker government shows no exceptional or different approach to impose the so-called law without showing any consideration whether any innocent individual has been affected or not. The police utilize the opportunity over enthusiastically. No mechanism or management has yet been established to see or oversee what actually the police do when they are ordered to arrest the criminals. This is why police particularly dishonest members of this force use this opportunity as business season and the common people become the victims of it. Both in democratic and ethical point of view arresting any citizen without any specific allegation

is quite unlawful. This indiscriminate arrest may happen and can be taken as usual happening in an undemocratic or unreasonable situation of the state. Why in the democratic form of government and impartial government common people will be harassed every now and then? No reason can be placed to satisfy the argument behind this indiscriminate arrest of common people until and unless another force to be created to oversee the unlawful activities of the police. Where there is no system to police the police, such kind of unreasonable arrest by police must not be entertained. Time has come to show honour to the respectable citizens. We are having this kind of government to grave all the misgoverning and misdoings of political governments who used to use police just to satisfy their party interest at the cost of common and innocent peoples' sufferings and miseries. Still the repetition of the same thing haunts people. So, what's the difference they have made? We must ensure the honour and respect for the citizens. On mass arrest and undermining citizens should be stopped once and for all.

Muhammad Nurul Haque , the ex-IGP of police has rightly said, " The pernicious culture has become an anathema to democracy because in such an environment tolerance, compassion, sympathy, respect for different view all essential tenets of a lawful society, take leave of us." Really its negative impact will vitiate every tier of the society. We cannot afford to do it. He further says, " In a democratic set up, the members of police must be made to realize that they are not above the law but subject to it like all other citizens and all their actions have to be supported on grounds of legality when challenged before a court of law."

We believe the police department nurture many talented and patriotic officers. How this illegal and unreasonable thing occurs again and again in this civilized society? What is the meaning of democracy and what is the significance of independence when common people still suffer at the hands of uniformed people who are managed with the tax money of these people?

Quite unlawful action of the police will amply prove from one of my practical experiences. During the reign of Ershad I was arrested by police when I was coming from my friend's house ( who now works at Bangla Academy) with my another fried. The cause of the arrest was the next day AL and BNP called hartal.. I expressed my identify to the police ( I was then a lecturer of a college) but they did not pay listen to it. Moreover, they continued arresting people wherever and in what situation they were found. Later I came to learn that the performance of the OCs depends on how many people they could show arrested.

However, case was filed against us that we threw stones at police van. How false lies police deal with really made me astonished. The whole night we were packed in the thana custody and their behaviour was not up to the mark. This should not happen in an independent country where criminals go scot-free or have friendship with the police (not all the police) and the honorable and honest citizens will remain behind the bar. Quite illegal. Please stop this game. Modernize police really not orally and invigorate them with the ideals of honesty and patriotism. On mass recruitment and recruitment on the basis of dishonest means must be stopped for ever. The officers recruited through BCS examinations in the police department must be re-scrutinized .

We have passed a pretty long time since we achieved independence. Still the colonial attitude of the police hovers making the democracy and independence tainted. Still we just blame the politicians.

Real honest officials hardly bow down their heads before the dishonest politicians. Time has come for the police to show real courage, heroism and honesty to the nation and its citizens. Only following the unlawful orders must not be the philosophy of police. Rather they should show their honesty, patriotism and real girt towards the nation. Only a handful of dishonest members of police force's unlawful activities should not be allowed to cast a slur on the whole police department.

This country is ours. It is our solemn duty to uphold the prestige of it. Let us work together. Its fruit will reach to all sorts of people. Police is not a separate entity of the sate rather they are our friends to establish a real democratic and peaceful society.