Punish errant policemen

A parliamentary body yesterday asked the government to ensure exemplary punishment for police personnel who tarnished the image of the police department.

Pointing to police harassment of a Bangladesh Bank official in Dhaka, the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs also suggested that the cops do not harass innocent people in the name of frisking.

“The committee recommends that the government ensure punishment to the accused police personnel for harassing people in the name of searching them,” Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, a member of the parliamentary watchdog, told reporters emerging from a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

“The police department has been asked so that such incident does not occur in future, as it is seriously tarnishing the image of the whole police department,” Swapan, also a ruling Awami League MP, said.

“The committee observed that though the police department has achieved success in combating militancy and violence, some police personnel have made the achievements controversial,” said Fakhrul Imam, another member of the committee.

“We have asked the police chief to carry out security checks cautiously so that the commoners are not harassed,” Fakhrul, also a Jatiya Party MP, said.

Several members of the committee lambasted top police officials, who were present at the meeting, for the recent brutality of police on a Bangladesh Bank official, a Dhaka South City Corporation official, and a female student.

The committee asked the home ministry to take steps so that no police official accused of torturing people escapes punishment.