89.5% citizens want police free from political influence: Survey

People want a law-abiding and corruption-free police force, which will operate independently, without any political influence. The opinion has been reflected in a public survey titled "What Kind of Police Do We Want (Kemon Police Chai) " released by The Police Reform Commission today.

People want a law-abiding and corruption-free police force, which will operate independently, without any political influence. The opinion has been reflected in a public survey titled "What Kind of Police Do We Want (Kemon Police Chai) " released by The Police Reform Commission today.

The findings are now accessible on the commission's official website www.prc.mhapsd.gov.bd.

A total of 24,442 persons have their recommendations on police force in response to the request for submission opinions by November 15, 2024.

Among the participants, 89.5 percent want end of use of police force on political purpose, 77.9 percent want police will no longer indulge in corruption by misusing power while 74.9 percent want to hold police personnel accountable for rights violation including involvement in enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings.

In reply to a question on the ghost cases, 95 percent of the participants want end of the culture.

Around 82 percent of the respondents said they want effective measures to stop financial transactions through issuance of threats to implicate them in ghost cases, 74.5 percent want legal measures against filing complaints in the name of dead persons, people living in abroad (during the incident) or innocent persons.

Besides, 69.2 percent supported providing legal powers to the to the officers-in-charge for pre-verification by reforming the relevant laws.

Around 71.5 of the participants want punishment against the concerned policemen on the grounds of human rights violations for using excessive force in dealing with protest, marches and suppression of opposition parties.

On the other hand, 68.8 percent respondents were in favor of regulating the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) incorporating international human rights guidelines, and 68.27 percent were in favor of rewarding policemen who protest and adhere to human rights.

Of the respondents, 82.5 percent think police's power of arrest without warrant under section 54 of the CrPC is an easily abused provision of law and 46.2 percent want a time-befitting reform of the section.

Around 91.7 percent said they want amendment of the section 167 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as torture and human rights violations and even deaths are reported during the interrogations in police custody, which sparked widespread criticism and outrage.

Around 60 percent of the participants want an independent organisation to investigate the allegations of rights violation and abuse of power against police personnel, 20 percent want a permanent commission led by a retired judge of High Court Division for investigation while the rest participants want to see National Human Rights Commission to be empowered to investigate the allegations.

In reply to a question, the respondents want a separate regulatory body or commission to make police accountable and keep them free from the influence of various vested quarters.

There were 19 questions to reply and the participants were allowed to give more than one answers in some of the questions.

Around 80 percent of the respondents want presence of female police during interrogation of female accused.

The highest respondents, 42.7 percent, are between 25 and 34 years old while the second highest age group are from 18 and 24 years old.

A total of 23,191 are males while only 1,251 are females. People from Dhaka participated the most.

Of the total participants, 36.4 percent people are job holders while 27.2 percent are student.