The Superior Selection Board (SSB) approved the promotion of 22 top police officials yesterday.

Five deputy inspector generals (DIG) will be promoted to the rank of additional inspector general of police and 17 additional DIGs to the post of DIG.

Another committee will sit today to approve the promotions of 230 police officers to the rank of superintendent of police (SP), said police and ministry officials.

The move comes after police had pressed for the promotions of several hundred officials to the ranks of SP and Addl IG for several months leading up to the 11th parliamentary polls.             

The Ministry of Public Administration issued separate circulars, signed by its Joint Secretary Md Mafidur Rahman, announcing the names of those promoted and requesting the home ministry to issue circulars in this regard. 

Ministry circulars on the recommendation of promotions of SPs by the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) are likely to be issued in a couple of days, officials said. 

The officials recommended for a promotion to Addl IG under Grade-II are: Rowshan Ara Begum, Mezbah Uddin, Md Iqbal Bahar, Mosharraf Hossain, and Md Shahab Uddin Koreshi. 

The 17 officials to be promoted to DIG are: Mainul Islam, SM Rokon Uddin, Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan, Tawfiq Mahbub Chowdhury, Nazrul Islam, Krishna Pada Roy, Kushum Dewan, Bashir Ahmed, Habibur Rahman, Anwar Hossain, AKM Hafiz Akhter, Mahid Uddin, Mafiz Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Baten, Imtiaj Ahmed, Mainul Hasan and Abu Kalam Siddik.

The rank upgrades come following a proposal by the Police Headquarters (PHQ) to the home ministry on July 4 requesting the promotions of 495 officials -- 11 addl inspector generals (grade 1), 42 addl inspector generals (grade II), 46 DIGs (grade III), 83 addl DIGs (grade IV) and 313 SPs (grade V).

Afterwards, the home ministry held a meeting attended by Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary and officials of home and different ministries concerned on October 2 and finalised a list of names.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave the nod to the proposal after receiving the final one approved by the ministry of establishment and finance.

In its proposal, the PHQ highlighted the dearth of top vacancies and that “competent officials” had been in the same position for too long as suitable posts were not created at the upper level of police.