Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the authorities concerned to stay alert so that the Jamaat-Shibir activists and those involved in terrorist and militant activities could not be recruited in the police force.

“I hope the police officials concerned would be more watchful so that the Jamaat-Shibir activists and those involved in terrorist and militant acts and arson attacks could not sneak into a disciplined force like Bangladesh Police,” she told parliament.

Replying to a supplementary question from Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari (Chittagong-2), the leader of the House said she does not want to make any interference in this regard.

“But it's the duty and responsibility of the police force to look into the matter so that those engaged in terrorist and militant acts and arson attacks, especially during the mayhem unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir in 2013, 2014 and 2015, could not be recruited in the police.”

The PM suggested the lawmakers provide information about recruitment of Jamaat-Shibir activists in the police to the intelligence agencies. “Surely they would scrutinise those information and take proper steps.”

Hasina recalled that the common people including the drivers of buses, CNG-run three-wheelers and other vehicles and even policemen could not escape deaths from the petrol bomb attacks by the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir men before and after the January 5, 2015 polls and again during January-March last year.

She said there is a certain policy with guidelines for recruitment of manpower in the police department and the police officials concerned are in charge of it. “They [police officials] should keep in mind that the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir men killed 19 cops.”

Earlier, replying to a question from independent lawmaker Md Abul Kalam Azad (Gaibandha-4), the premier informed the House that a proposal for creating 50,000 new posts in the police force as part of enhancing its capacity got approval in principle on January 11.

Some 13,888 posts have been created for various units, she said adding that rest of the posts would be created in phases in line with the demand.

Of the newly created posts, some 7,139 are created for stepping up security in the Dhaka metropolitan area. The process for appointments to these posts was underway, she added.

Responding to another supplementary question from Jatiya Party's Fakhrul Imam (Mymensingh-8), the PM said “Joy Bangla Joy Bangabandhu” slogan had inspired the entire nation during the Liberation War and finally the nation had been able to earn independence defeating the Pakistani force.

Turning to her son ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Hasina said what he wants to do in future depends entirely on him. “Joy has been helping my government by contributing to its various achievements.... He is serving the nation and the country...he would choose his own path.”

Answering to another supplementary question from Fazilatunnesa Bappi (women seat-30), she said her government has increased the manpower of police in divisional, district, upazila and even union levels, while projects have been taken up to address their accommodation problem.

In this connection, the PM listed various steps of her government in addressing the accommodation problem of police in Rajarbagh and other areas.