Legitimate demands of police to be fulfilled: Home Minister

Published : Sunday, 10 May, 2026 at 4:42 PM Count : 7

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that the government will address the legitimate demands of the police force, taking into account fiscal capacity and overall affordability, with the aim of transforming the force into a modern, people-oriented institution.

He made the remarks while speaking as a special guest at the “Prime Minister’s Special Welfare Meeting” held at the Rajarbagh Police Auditorium in the capital on Sunday, marking the observance of Police Week-2026.

The chief guest at the event was Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Manzur Morshed Chowdhury also spoke as a special guest. Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir delivered the welcome address, while Additional IGP (Crime and Operations) Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, BPM, offered the vote of thanks.

The minister said that many police constables retire after 40 years of service without receiving promotion. In this context, he said that, under a special policy and subject to satisfactory service records, some retiring members of the police would be considered for honorary promotions — from constable to honorary Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), from ASI to honorary Sub-Inspector (SI), and from SI to honorary Inspector.

He further said the government is considering introducing overtime allowances for police personnel working extended hours, under a structured policy, in order to enhance morale and improve service quality. In this regard, overtime benefits may be considered for personnel from the rank of Inspector down to Constable.

The Home Minister added that, given the long working hours and high workload, the government plans to upgrade and modernise both central and divisional police hospitals, enhancing facilities for physical and mental healthcare of police members. If necessary, new and more advanced hospitals will also be constructed following proper assessment.

He also stated that the present government is committed to resolving infrastructural and housing shortages within various police units. Land acquisition and necessary funding in this regard remain a priority for the government.

Referring to recent improvements, the minister said that the law and order situation in the country has shown visible progress over the past two months. He added that special operations are ongoing against identified terrorists, extortionists, and drug traffickers to further improve the situation.

He noted that, with the advancement of information technology, the nature and scale of crime have changed. In this context, he stressed that without modern training and skill development in relevant areas, police personnel would not be able to achieve desired success in combating crime.

He also said that a committee has already been formed to draft more contemporary legislation to prevent gambling, online gambling, cybercrime, and money laundering. The proposed laws will be enacted based on the committee’s recommendations.

Salahuddin Ahmed further stated that laws will be updated and amended to fully address “mob culture”. He instructed police personnel to discharge their duties in accordance with public expectations and aspirations.

FP/MI