Police and colonial past
Police in the subcontinent was not raised for the benefit of the people of this land. Police forces in this land emerged as an anti-people organisation since their inception. Police of the British Bengal used to do the notorious jobs for their colonial masters. Police were being trained in those days in tune with the desire of the colonial administrators. Police very often came down heavy on the poor peasants. They used to arrest and detain innocent indigo cultivators. They robbed the people of their little belongings who lost the ability to pay the land revenue. Even if the poor farmers had no harvest due to flood or draught, they were not spared. Police were the instruments of collecting money for the white Shahib.
Police were the synonym of torture and tyranny in the whole of the British dominion. But these Indian gladiators were not paid properly. In some jurisdictions they were not paid from the government exchequer. A percentage from the booties was the only salary of the police in the subcontinent.
Police in those days, though were born and brought up in this land, were not for people of this country. They were against the people of this land.
Police of this subcontinent were never pro-people. So the term, 'Restoring the image of Bangladesh Police,' is a misnomer. Our police had no good days and no good image. So they did not lose anything good. Since the independence of this country our police gained a lot of good things. Still our police have no positive image. So it is the time that we build our police as an organisation of our own. Looking back to old days, nothing will be gained. Le us look forward and raise our cherished police force. Let us change the 150 years old Police Act (which was enacted by the colonial administrators) and rewrite the PRB. Let us think about the command and control of the police. Above all, let us prepare the people to tolerate an honest and efficient police force.
The truth is, only a civilised nation can desire a civilised police force.
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