Survey finds majority opinion on police commission formation for accountability

A public survey named 'Kemon Police Chai' (what kind of police we want) has found majority respondents' opinion on formation of a separate regulatory organisation or a commission for police to make the law enforcing agency accountable and free from influences.

"Around 58.9% of the respondents gave their opinion in favor of a regulatory body or commission to keep the police accountable and free from various influences," said the survey conducted by the Police Reform Commission (PRC).

The survey also found opinion of 41.1% (10044) respondents on formation of an independent 'Police Ombudsman' under the constitutional framework as around 24,422 people took part in the survey.

The PRC said an opinion can be formulated by considering the formation of a police commission, what its power and jurisdiction will be and how it can be implemented and by examining the experience of forming similar commissions in different countries before considering the two idea-- the establishment of a police commission or a police ombudsman.

The PRC in its special analysis said that it was not possible to systematically analyze the issues of personal opinions given in the questionnaire.

"Most of the respondents did not answer in accordance with the questions. Moreover, it is time-consuming to change the format to record the diverse statements of such a large number of respondents and compile the information," the PRC opined in the study.

However, the issues can be discussed in a double-choice manner at the commission meeting, the PRC said.

The survey was carried out in the wake of recent criticism in Bangladesh and around the world about the violent role of some police personnel in suppressing the anti-discrimination student movement.

To that end, the interim government formed the 'Police Reform Commission' to reform the police force.