Police won’t face ‘image crisis’ because of US visa policy: IGP

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun today said that the police force will not face any ‘image crisis’ due to the US visa policy recently imposed on Bangladesh ahead of the next parliamentary polls.

“I don’t think that police force will face any image crisis because of the US visa policy,” he told journalists after attending a seminar at Tourist Police Headquarters in the city’s Topkhana road.

Dhaka University (DU) Professor Masudur Rahman presented the keynote paper at the seminar titled ‘Combating Future Challenges in Tourism Security: Bangladesh Tourist Police Perspectives’ with Tourist Police Chief Additional Inspector General of Police Habibur Rahman in the chair, said a press release.

Asked about whether the recent demonstration of arms during different clashes would have any impact in the upcoming parliament elections, the IGP said, “When anyone shows any weapon, we work on it, we strongly believe that we will be able to perform our duty properly in the national elections.”

Replying to another question from journalists whether police would conduct drives to seize illegal arms before the polls, Mamun said, “We will do it in due time. But for strategic reasons we are not confirming it now. I want to assure that, whoever the terrorist may be, strict action will be taken against him as per law”.

Asked about the death of legal consultant of an organization Bhuvan Chandra Sheel (52), who was shot by a terrorist in the city’s Tejgaon industrial area, and robbery by the police in a bank, he said, “Whenever any incident occurs, we take immediate action. If any member of the police is involved, we do not spare him or her either. We investigate each incident and take appropriate action.”

Speaking about the country’s law and order situation, the police chief said the law and order situation is completely under control.

About the police’s responsibility during elections, he said, “It is the responsibility of Election Commission to organize the elections. We will properly discharge our duty that the Election Commission will give us during the elections”.

About Tourist Police, Mamun said it has gained trust of the tourists. “Once we did not feel the need of tourist police. Now, we understand that there is a necessity of the tourist police”.

After formed the Industrial Police, an industry-friendly environment has been created in the industrial sector, the IGP said, adding, similarly, the formation of the Tourist Police has brought a great change to the tourism sector. (BSS)