The complaints against police officers from ASP level to above are settled as per government employment rules. Though it was not revealed how many officers faced punitive measures in recent times.
Police headquarter sources say that complaints against constable till inspector are dealt with by the police headquarter. Initially, the accused is temporarily suspended. The same is followed in the case of SP’s and other officials.
But for them, the decision comes from home ministry. Anyone can be suspended when allegations rise but if that person can thwart the allegations in appeal then employment is regularized.
In other cases, the guilty person is terminated or sent to obligatory retirement.
In case of criminal offences, a person is handed punishment as per existing laws.
As per sources from police headquarters, punitive measures were taken in 120,191 incidents in the last nine years and all of the accused are between constable and inspector. They were punished for a variety of misdemeanors including, taking bribes, extortion, harassment, refusal to pay for wife after marriage etc.
In 2017, punitive measures were taken against 14658 police members, of which, 11000 are between constable and sub inspector. This year, 8 officers over the rank of ASP were given lenient punishment, which included reprimand and relieving from duty.
In 2016, two officers above ASP were punished and one was given lenient punishment while the other was given mandatory retirement. The one given retirement is SP Babul Akhter over the killing of his wife, Mitu.
In 2019, two senior officers were temporarily suspended and they are DIG Mizanur Rahman and DC, Ibrahim Khan. DIG Mizan was temporarily suspended after he was sent to prison on a corruption case while DC Ibrahim was temporarily suspended for abetting the illegal occupation of the house of a freedom fighter in Lalbagh.
As per police regulation 1861, there are provisions for two types of punishment – hard and lenient. The former includes, termination from job, demotion, suspension of promotion and increment while the latter includes removal from duty to be linked to police range.
For BCS police officers, the punishment issue is overseen by a public administration cell of the home ministry, looked after by a joint secretary, Enamul Habib. An appeal official of the department, additional secretary Sahed Ali, commented: “All complaints are dealt with as per government law.”