IGP asks police force to change mentality

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CHITTAGONG, July 21 (UNB): Inspector General of Police (IGP) Noor Mohammad Saturday advised his force to change the mentality and perform their duty properly in the changing situation.
"Police could not perform their duties in the past due to political interference," the IGP said while addressing the inaugural function of Panchalaish Model thana in the city.
Political leadership in the past was responsible for tarnishing the image of the police, he said and asked them to work with sincerity and honesty under the changed situation for the welfare of the common people.
The police chief said 3,000 policemen have been punished in the last six months on charge of negligence to duties.
He said a commission led by a retired judge would be formed following the approval of police reform programme. The commission would punish those found doing wrong and reward those for good performance.
Later in the afternoon, the IGP inaugurated a new thana at Buzpur at Fatiqchhari.
Local UP chairmen abstained from the function protesting demarcation of the new thana out of Fatiqchhari.
A media release adds: A Police Service Delivery Centre has been opened at the Panchlaish Model Police Station with an emphasis on friendly community-police relations based on mutual understanding, trust and cooperation to prevent crime.
IGP Noor Mohammad inaugurated the Service Delivery Centre Saturday.
At the same time, a 'Police Open Day' has been arranged at the Panchlaish Model Police Station, which will be a regular event for the police station involving the local people. The aim of the Day is to facilitate interaction, foster partnership between people and police and to ensure community involvement in the process.
Panchlaish Model Police Station is one of the model police stations under the Police Reform Programme (PRP) of United Nations Development Progr-amme (UNDP). The Service Delivery Centre aims at providing better and community-friendly services to the people.
In close cooperation with the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Administration, the PRP has organised the inaugural ceremony of the Service Delivery Centre and the Police Open Day.
Chaired by CMP Commissioner Md Moinur Rahman Chowdhury, the function was spoken, among others, by PRP's National Project Director and Additional IGP NBK Tripura, and PRP's Project Manager Hubert Staberhofer.
In a recent survey conducted by the PRP, the overwhelming majority of the respondents (82-83 per cent) from 11 model police stations areas have mentioned that people report to the police mainly when the crime committed is a life-threatening one, and not in 'ordinary' crime cases.
The Open Day will provide an opportunity for the local residents to visit the Model Police Station see what is happening in their local police station and discuss issues that affect them.
The police can also facilitate community efforts to create positive changes within their neighbourhood. It will provide the police with an opportunity to take into account community aspirations and use limited resources efficiently.
The Community-Police interaction will promote openness in police practices and improve police image.
Addressing the inaugural function, the IGP said that partnerships between police and communities, especially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, pave the way for voicing grievances, suggestions and recommendations by the people in order to improve policing.
Panchlaish Thana is the first model police station refurbished and inaugurated under the PRP in Chittagong. During the ceremony, Noor Mohammad distributed bicycles, torch lights, mobile phones and umbrellas among the community police members under the Panchlaish police station.
The overall purpose of the PRP is to develop a safer and more secure environment based on respect for human rights and equitable access to justice through police reform, transforming it from a colonial government order model to a public service, which is responsive to all of the Bangladesh population including the poor, vulnerable, women, and children.