115 police personnel, including 11 women, to get medals

A total of 115 police personnel, ranging from additional inspector general to constable rank, will receive police medals in the upcoming Police Week 2023, officials said. 

Of the awardees, 11 are women. Each will get the medals, Bangladesh Police Medal and President Police Medal, in two categories – Gallantry and Service.

The police week will be observed at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka from 3 January to 8 January. 

Mohammad Abdullahil Baki, additional deputy inspector general (Confidential) of Police Headquarters, on Wednesday issued internal directives urging the 115 recipients to be present at the Rajarbagh Police Parade ground on Thursday at 8:30am. 

The directives also said one family member from each of the deceased police personnel will have to be present there.  

Only one female sergeant, Reksana Khatun of the Traffic Division at Khulna Metropolitan Police, has been nominated for the award. 

The rest of the 10 women personnel include one additional deputy inspector general, three superintendents of police (SPs) and six additional superintendents of police (ASPs). 

No female law enforcer from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has been nominated for the medal.  

Asked about the low number of women personnel, police headquarters award committee members refused to comment on the issue. 

Assistant Inspector General (Media) of Police Headquarters Monzur Rahman said the police week will begin from 3 January and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend as the chief guest on the first day of the ceremony.

Mohammad Makshuder Rahman, an SP of Police Bureau of Investigation, Gazipur, told The Business Standard that he had been working relentlessly for the last few years and finally his hard work had paid off. 

"I am excited after being nominated for the medals. This will surely boost my energy to work more in the upcoming days," he added. 

In Police Week 2022, police headquarters awarded the Bangladesh Police Medal and President's Police Medal to 115 law enforcers each for 2019-20 and 2020-21 for their unique achievements in maintaining law and order in the country.