United News of Bangladesh

No police officer with a controversial background will be assigned to leadership roles in the upcoming national election, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam said on Saturday (November 15). “Although the list of controversial officers has not been prepared yet, SPs and DIGs of the respective districts are in the process of identifying them,” he told reporters at a press briefing at the Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) lines. Earlier, the IGP attended an internal training programme aimed at preparing police personnel to conduct the next election in a fair and peaceful manner. He said people across the country are eagerly waiting to cast their votes, while the current interim government is committed to ensuring a free, impartial and credible election. Read more: Over 48,000 police officers complete election training: Police HQ Referring to controversies surrounding the last three national elections, the IGP said the police are undergoing extensive training to ensure that past mistakes are not repeated. “Some members of Bangladesh Police deviated from their duties or were compelled to make mistakes in the last three elections. This time, the training is focused on correcting those mistakes. Our members are motivated to help deliver a successful election.” He mentioned that the previous elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024 had drawn various forms of criticism. “Unfortunately, we were also subjected to that criticism because we were involved. We made mistakes—or were forced to make them. This time, we aim to avoid all bad practices, malpractices and biases, and fulfill the interim government’s promise of holding the most credible election.” On the issue of countering terrorism, the IGP said, they do not want to suppress terrorism through crossfire. “We want to maintain the rule of law by ensuring criminals are brought before the court. Every individual in society is a source of our strength. Policing cannot succeed through police efforts alone,” he added. Addressing concerns over cyber threats in the upcoming election, he admitted that law enforcement remains vulnerable. “Some people are making anything viral on social media using AI in the name of freedom of expression. We first inform the BTRC, which then notifies Meta. Sometimes Meta removes about 40 percent of such content, but not all. The police have limitations in this area.” Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Zulfiqar Ali Haider, Khulna Range DIG Md. Rezaul Karim, and senior officials from various units of the Khulna Division Police were present at the event. Read more: Effective election management foundation of credible democracy: CEC

Emphasising that life does not always follow a straight path, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Saturday said honesty, hard-work and dreams are what shape a nation’s future. “Life is not always a straight path – it includes both success and failure. Never be disheartened by failure; rather learn from it and move forward with greater resolve. Your talent, sky-high dreams and unshakable determination will one day take you to the peak of success, where the world will watch in awe,” he said while addressing the ‘Bangladesh Police Merit Scholarship 2023’ award distribution ceremony at Rajarbagh. Additional IGP (HRM) Abu Naser Mohammad Khaled presided over the programme, while AIG (Education, Sports and Culture) Shamima Parvin delivered the welcome address. Additional DIG (Operations) of Police Headquarters Shahazada Mohammad Asaduzzaman and DMP Constable Md Hazrat Ali, speaking as guardians of meritorious students, shared their thoughts and appreciation during the event. Scholarship recipients Md Nawroz Islam Jubaraj (SSC) and Yana Anjum (HSC) also spoke at the event. The IGP expressed the hope that the children of police personnel would grow up to achieve excellence not only in academics but also in their professional lives, contributing as capable leaders to the nation’s development. Ex-Additional IGP Iqbal Bahar in DB Custody He acknowledged the contributions of parents behind the success of their children. “Due to duty demands, police personnel often cannot give enough time to their children. Still, you have managed to raise them as enlightened individuals, which I believe is a rare revolution,” the IGP said. This scholarship programme, he said, is not just a reward but a shining example of encouragement. Later, the IGP handed over crests, certificates and cash awards to the scholarship recipients. A total of 893 students received scholarships this year – 736 from SSC and equivalent exams and 153 from HSC and equivalent exams. Among them, 298 students (248 from SSC and 50 from HSC) received the award at the central programme in Dhaka, while others were awarded through their respective police units.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam on Tuesday emphasised the avoidance of lethal weapons during law enforcement operations saying that the police will not become a 'killer force'. He made the remark while responding to questions from journalists after distributing prizes among the winners of the IGP Cup Cricket Tournament final held at the Police Staff College ground in the city’s Mirpur. '“We will avoid weapons that cause certain death, like rifles that fire lethal bullets,” said the police chief. However, we will finalise this through consultations. But in principle, we believe that the police cannot be a killer force, the IGP added. Highlighting the need for non-lethal weapons in routine operations, the IGP said, “At most, I might carry a shotgun — that’s a reasonable public expectation, isn’t it?” He noted that in special zones where there are insurgencies or possibilities of revolts, different measures are sometimes required there. “But normally, while maintaining law and order, we will try to avoid lethal weapons and use non-lethal ones, which are widely accepted globally,” he added. BCB President Faruque Ahmed and senior police officials were also present at the event. Earlier, the IGP handed over trophies to the champion and runner-up teams of the tournament.