Staff Reporter:
The Police Reform Commission (PRC) has made a set of recommendations, including the formation of an all-party committee, task force, policy for recruitment, transfer and promotion and taking action for the delay in receiving any general diary or proof of any corruption, to make the police force corruption-free and service-oriented.
“An ‘all-party committee’ can be formed in each police station or upazila, which will work as an ‘oversight body’ at the local level and take effective measures to prevent corruption,” said a PRC report submitted to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on 15 January.
Besides, a special task force can be formed and this task force can be given the responsibility of formulating long-term recommendations by utilising the experience of the ‘all-party committee’, it said.
A ‘watchdog or oversight committee’ can be formed as a short-term activity to prevent deliberate deviations or professional corruption in the work of the police.
It is absolutely necessary to establish transparency in the recruitment process and include the officers/employees involved in the recruitment process after being satisfied with the high standard of honesty and ethics, the PRC recommended.
It is necessary to give importance to honesty and integrity in posting, transfer, and promotion, the report said.
“Clear policies should be formulated at different levels for posting, transfer, and promotion and all concerned be informed.”
The PRC report suggested that allegations/complaints of extortion against any officer of the police station through intimidation should be investigated immediately by the superintendent of police.
The current reward structure of the police needs to be re-evaluated as it does not have any specific criteria and the entire process is not free from influence.
Under the current system, rewards (medals and allowances/BPM/PPM etc) are given to encourage and motivate them for various works.
“There are allegations of misuse of this opportunity. It is necessary to properly scrutinise the rules and regulations related to this,” it said.
Every police station needs to have adequate allocation in various sectors such as transportation of bodies, bringing and taking witnesses, funeral of unclaimed bodies, etc, it also said.
The PRC recommended that appropriate punishment should be ensured for delay/objection in receiving GD or proof of any kind of corruption.
Special allocation and allowance can be made in every police station for all activities related to GD and verification, including increasing the investigation cost of the case, it said.
The PRC also suggested that no mediation, arbitration, or Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) meeting or other arrangement can be made with the plaintiff/defendant at the police station.
