The formation of an independent police commission is essential to make the police humane, said Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. Adviser on Shipping and Textiles and Jute. M. Sakhawat Hossain.

He made this comment in his speech as the chief guest at the seminar entitled ‘Proposal of police commission and other reforms to ensure public police service’ organized by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) of the university on Saturday (09 November 2024 AD) at the Syndicate Hall of the North South University. Emphasizing the need for the ongoing reforms of state administration undertaken by the current government, the advisor said it is necessary to form a police commission. I spoke to members of the police at various levels after August 8. The formation of this police commission was their demand at that time after the July-August bloody revolution, they no longer wanted to be a part of politicization.

An independent police commission is essential in transforming a “monstrous police” into a “humane police”. A judicial officer may be appointed as the head of this independent police commission.
The advisor expressed his opinion that the commission should not be more than five members. At this time, the adviser emphasized on the willingness and commitment of the political parties of the country to form an independent police commission with the aim of making the police people-oriented.

In order to eliminate police irregularity and corruption, he said that the recruitment process of the lower ranks of the police is very less. They have no chance of promotion. They retire from the post of constable they join. When a university graduate sees no prospect of promotion. Then he was disappointed, involved in various irregularities and corruption. He opined that police corruption will be reduced to a large extent by increasing police facilities downwards.

He also said that a senior officer should know how his subordinates perform their police duties, what problems they face in performing their duties. That is why police officers belonging to BCS cadre should be attached to the police station for one year after completing basic training in Sarada. This will create an opportunity to know and understand how the police works at the grass root level.
In order to ensure transparency and accountability in the recruitment process of the police, the shipping advisor emphasized on completing the recruitment process and their training program centrally instead of taking the district-based recruitment process. He said, according to me, the recruitment process should be done through the Independent Police Commission.

The seminar was conducted by North South University SIPG Director Prof. Sheikh Taufiq M haque. Professor of Law Department of North South University spoke among others. Md. Rizwanul Islam and Assistant Professor of Political Science and Sociology Department. Ishrat Zakia Sultana. In this seminar, they outlined the country’s police reform roadmap and a possible plan to form a police commission.