Staff Reporter:
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam has said that no terrorist group or evil force will be able to foil the upcoming national election.
“All units of the police are on alert to ensure a peaceful election,” he said at a press briefing at the Boyra Police Lines in Khulna on Saturday.
The IGP said the role of police was made controversial during the last three national elections as they were forced to act being bias.
“Taking lesson from past mistakes, police personnel will perform their duties with neutrality in the upcoming election,” the IGP said adding that in this purpose, all units of police are going through intensive training.
Earlier, he visited the ongoing election-related training activities at the Police Training Centre (PTC), Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Rapid Reserve Force (RRF), and Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP).
He noted that the present government aims to conduct a free, fair and neutral election, and therefore the responsibility of the police is significant.
The IGP said the police are receiving duty-oriented training for the first time to prepare them on their own to conduct a disciplined and uncontroversial polling.
“The police officers who are still unwilling or unable to change their previous mindset will not be given key leadership roles in the election,” he said adding that range DIGs and superintendents of police (SPs) have been instructed to identify those members.
The issue will be considered during the distribution of duties in January, he added.
The IGP expressed his full confidence that the police are ready to discharge their responsibilities properly. However, cooperation from all stakeholders is essential for maintaining peace and ensuring a free and neutral election, he said.
Admitting that misinformation and disinformation are being spread through social media using artificial intelligence (AI), he said all relevant issues are being monitored.
Replying to a question, the IGP said there has not been major progress in the investigation into the cases filed against police personnel.
However, so far 21 persons have been arrested in connection with 19 murder cases and 37 other cases, while 30–31 accused are yet to be arrested.
Regarding false cases filed against civilians, he said that if anyone is falsely implicated in any case after 5 August 2024, recommendations were given to respective police stations to exempt them under Section 173.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was instructed not to harass more than 2,000 individuals in different lawsuits, he said.
Khulna Range DIG Rezaul Haque, Commissioner of KMP Mohammad Zulfikar Ali Haider and other senior police officials were present.
