ZCZC
BSS-14
PM-POLICE-2-LAST-DHAKA
The Prime Minister said that her government’s topmost priority is to ensure peace and security of the people by strengthening democracy.
She called upon the police personnel to stand beside the people in their bad days to gain their confidence, trust and love, saying, “The number of the police would not matter if you can gain confidence, trust and love of the people and you can contain any crime with the help of people.”
In this connection, the premier said, quoting Bangabandhu, “Bear in mind that the people will love you instead of fearing. You know, people love police in many countries. You have to learn how to earn honour.”
Briefly highlighting various measures taken by her government for the overall development of police, Sheikh Hasina said her government has formed, Anti-Terrorism Unit and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) Unit to enhance efficiency of the police personnel in containing the terrorism and militancy.
Besides, the government has established Special Security and Protection Battalion, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Tourist Police, Naval Police and Industrial Police to effectively fight all sorts of crimes, she continued.
The premier said they have formed armed police battalions for ensuring security at airports while two armed police battalions have also been formed to maintain law and order at camps in Cox’s Bazar where around 11 lakh Rohingyas took shelter and one female armed police battalion has also been formed.
Sheikh Hasina said that the budget for police was only Taka 850 crore when her party Awami League assumed office in 1996, adding that the government increased the amount to Taka 1,200 crore in its first budget.
Noting that after coming to power for the second time in 2009, her government found that no more allocation was made for the police in the national budget, she said, “We have increased the allocation for Bangladesh Police to Taka 16,000 crore in the national budget announced for the FY 2020-21.”
The premier said she herself as the head of the government has established a 10-storey hospital for police at Rajarbagh Police Lines after coming to power in 1996 and stressed the need of forming a separate medical unit for ensuring medicare services for the police.
She said that her government has rented a private hospital for giving proper treatment to the policemen infected with the Covid-19.
Sheikh Hasina also said her government has been taking measures to establish educational institutes in the divisional cities for ensuring proper education for the children of the police personnel.
She greeted the police personnel for playing an effective role to help the people particularly in reaching food at night to the doorsteps of those who couldn’t want assistance in broad day light and arrange burial of those who died of Covid-19 during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prime Minister said that the police have to play a great role in establishing a developed and prosperous country free from poverty, hunger and religious disharmony as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
BSS/AHJ/GA/1516 hrs