The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a roundtable here on Tuesday underscored the need for drastic reforms in the police force to face the challenges of the 21st century.

They also called for removing barrier of mistrust between the police and people in the interest of peace and stability in society.

Deshe Bideshe, a Toronto-based Bangla daily of Canada, arranged the roundtable on 'Bangladesh Police Ordinance-2007' at the Jatiya Press Club here.

With chief editor of the daily Nazrul Islam Minto in the chair, the roundtable was addressed by former Army chief Lt. Gen. (retd) Harun-or-Rashid, former inspector general of police (IGP) Ashraful Huda and chief editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury and chief executive officer of Smart Phone Quamrul Hasan Chowdhury.

General Harun said, "Our mentality should be changed before reforms in police force."

He said every organization should have its own entity and it must be built according to a plan.

Regarding the Police Ordinance-07, he said there is a need for an elected government to pass a such ordinance.

Expressing regret, Ashraful Huda said the present caretaker government has carried out reforms in many sectors, but the police force remained out of touch.

A certain quarter does not want reforms in the police as they are afraid of losing grip on the force, he said.

About the proposed police ordinance, the former IGP said police have been mentioned as the servant of the republic and its people.

Placing emphasis on drastic change in police, Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury called for building a truly people-friendly police force.

Nazrul Islam Minto said good governance in police administration is a must to establish the rule of law in the country.

He called upon the caretaker government to approve the Police Ordinance-2007 immediately.