Speakers, including former senior police officials, academics and lawyers said on Saturday that political commitment and accountability were a must for reforming police force as no political government wanted to reform the force.
They also demanded formation of a police commission engaging representatives from political parties.
鈥業f we change uniform or badges of the police force, we cannot call such a move reform鈥� Political commitment is a must for reforming the police force. We have to keep police free from the influence of administrative聽 cadres and political monopoly,鈥� former inspector general of police Mohammad Nurul Huda said at a dialogue titled 鈥楶olice鈥檚 Loyalty towards People and Law, but Not to Power: ways to transform鈥�.
The dialogue was organised by a citizen鈥檚 platform, Voice for Reform, in the city.
Nurul Huda said that reforms should begin with the recruitments process.
Referring to British colonial acts like the Police Act 1861, the Evidence Act 1872 and the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, the former IGP said that the acts were created to use police to protect British rulers.
鈥楶olice are now being used by political elites to cling to power. We have to change those acts,鈥� he added.聽
Presenting the keynote speech, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development senior research fellow Mirza Hasan said, 鈥楩rom a citizen鈥檚 perspective, democratic policing must pivot around thana governance, which is the aspiration of the majority of people.鈥�
鈥楾he institution of police must be owned by the people. Otherwise, the force will not be able to regain its trust and legitimacy,鈥� Mirza said, adding that such reforms were tried during the caretaker government period in 2007-2008 but it was scrapped after a political government had taken power.
Former additional inspector general of police Md Nazmul Haque urged the government to increase the training period for constables to one year from existing six months.
鈥楥onstables are recruited by completing their secondary education, which is not adequate qualifications for increasing their moral ground. We have to include ethics in their curriculum during the training period,鈥� Nazmul added.
Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua stressed the need for dual accountability for checks and balances in the force.
Moderated by the University Press Limited managing director Mahrukh Mohiuddin, Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, was also spoke at the event.
Netra鈥檚 editor-in-chief Tasneem Khalil spoke at the event virtually.