Police in search of ‘honest, impartial and efficient’ inspectors for OC posts ahead of national polls
Previously, the home affairs adviser vowed several times that no officials would be given tasks in the upcoming election if they were involved in the previous sham elections.
The Bangladesh Police Headquarters is eyeing "honest, impartial and efficient inspectors in administrative work" to appoint them as officers-in-charge across the country ahead of the much-anticipated national elections.
The move comes amid a renewed push to restore public confidence in state institutions and ensure credible polls after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime.
During Hasina's more than 15 years in power, elections held under her regime were widely criticised at home and abroad as rigged, non-competitive and sham. Several Bangladesh Police officials and members of the Bangladesh Administrative Service – including a former Election Commission secretary – have already been arrested over alleged involvement in the controversial polls of 2014, 2018 and 2024.
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Senior figures in the interim government have repeatedly stated that no official linked to those sham elections will be assigned responsibilities in the forthcoming polls.
On 16 November, Awlad Hossain, additional inspector general (administration) of police, issued a letter calling for the names of inspectors who are "honest, efficient and impartial" and capable of taking charge of at least 639 police stations nationwide.
The letter has already been sent to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, the additional inspector general of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Special Branch (SB).
As per the letter, these three units are being given priority.
In the letter, AIG Awlad wrote, "In the interest of conducting the upcoming national parliamentary election in a fair and peaceful manner, it is extremely important to appoint qualified and impartial officers-in-charge at every police station. The role of the head of a police station is highly significant in maintaining normal law and order and in complying with the instructions of the Election Commission."
"In this context, you are requested to immediately prepare and send to the Personnel Management-2 Branch a list of honest, impartial, and administratively competent police inspectors working under your unit, who possess the qualities required for appointment as officers-in-charge of police stations in various districts under different ranges for duty during the upcoming national election," he concluded.
The directive follows earlier public commitments by the interim administration to bar officials involved in the past three national elections.
In late October, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said officials who had even minimal involvement or played only a nominal role in the last three national elections will not be assigned any responsibilities in the upcoming polls. His press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, said the decision was taken at a high-level meeting.
"Especially in the field administration, DCs (deputy commissioners), ADCs (additional deputy commissioners), UNOs (upazila nirbahi officers), and those serving as district magistrates, should not be posted to any positions if they were involved in the past three elections," Yunus said.
Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury reiterated this stance on 16 November, announcing measures aimed at ensuring a free, fair and peaceful election.
Following a law-and-order core committee meeting at the home ministry, he told reporters the authorities would "refrain as much as possible" from deploying personnel who previously served during the "fascist regime" in the 2014, 2018 and 2024 polls.
