The New Nation - Internet Edition

Barisal Correspondent

Inspector General of Police Nurn Muhammad yesterday counselled the police force to shed their traditional image and become people oriented in the discharge of their responsibility.

Addressing the members of the community police of Barisal city and upazilas at the Barisal auditorium, he told them the citizens of the country have the right to get satisfactory service from the police and the latter must rise to the expectations of the people.

People come to the police to get justice and not to seek mercy and pity ,he said and advised the members of the law enforcing agencies to see to it that they are not harassed in any way.

He informed that several steps have already been taken to make the police force people oriented and improve their image. They include opening of delivery desk, establishment of model police station, organising open house day and publication of citizen charter, he noted.

About the recent report of the Transparency International Bangladesh on corruption index across the country, he said " we are trying to improve the situation. We have reached a certain stage in combating the curse of corruption and hope that condition will improve gradually with the help of people".

He pointed out that with a strength of 1.23 lakh members the police force has to serve nearly 15 crore people living in 1,47,570 square kilometres area under certain socio-economic and service limitations.

Speakers at the function said that community policing system is becoming popular and effective in maintaining law and order and providing social security service in Barisal division.

The meeting was informed that community police committee has been formed in 30 wards of Barisal city, 10 union parishads at Barisal sadar upzila,45 upazilas and municipal towns.308 community police committees have been formed at the union parishad level and 2,910 committees at the ward level.

About 50 thousand members of the community police under more than 3,300 committees have been raised. The committees are headed by the elected members of local government, it was stated at the meeting.

The community police committees have disposed of 253 cases of torture on women and dealt with 779 cases of land dispute during the last three months, the meeting was told.

The function was presided over by Khan Sayeed Hassan, Commisioner, Barisal Metropolitan Police.

It was attended, among others, by the deputy inspector general police in charge of Barisal range, divisional commissioner and deputy commissioner of Barisal, district commanders of joint forces and RAB, representatives of the community police committees and local elites.

The IGP also inaugurated the newly constructed police line of range reserve form and extended wing of police hospital in Barisal.