<i>Police sergeants paint grim picture of sealed fate</i>

Many serving the same post for over two decades

5 April 2009, 18:00 PM

Abdullah Al Mahmud, Ctg

“It's over 24 years that I am in the same post. Some people who were born in the year of our joining are now working with us in the same rank. There are instances of our batch-mates' daughters getting married to see us as colleagues of their husbands enjoying the same rank and status.” These few words painted the deep frustration of a police sergeant when he and some of his colleagues had an occasion to meet some reporters here on Thursday. “I joined the police department as sergeant in 1985. Like me many sergeants are serving in the same post for over two decades,” he said. Many of his contemporaries have similar tales to tell, indicating serious resentment growing among them over the awfully slow process of promotion. They expect an end to the 'discrimination' so that their departmental status upgrades and social and family honour increases. “The havilders we met during our training at Sarda Police Academy were promoted as inspectors five to seven years ago and are now getting salute from us. Even many people earlier working as constables under us are now in the rank of sub-inspectors or armed sub-inspectors. But we are sergeants till date,” said a police sergeant serving at Bandarban. “Only 19 of the 39 sergeants of our batch got their names on the promotion list but the decision is yet to be implemented after around one and a half years,” said the sergeant who joined the service in 1989. Filing cases against influential persons for violation of traffic rule often put them in troublesome situation, said a few sergeants present on the occasion. Minor faults like delay in submitting cases, taking seat on bike during duty, putting off the caps for a while, engaging in altercation and false allegation of harassment also stand as barriers to promotion, they said. “Bad remarks from commuters stuck up in tailback only add to our agony while performing duty in scorching heat of the summer sun. As frustration prevails among sergeants due to delay in promotion, a section of them indulge in different crimes and unethical activities, said a sergeant. The sergeants suggested that creation of traffic inspector and patrol inspector posts in every district as well as engaging the sergeants of traffic department in highway duties could put an end to the stalemate regarding promotion. When contacted, a high official of the police department admitted that sergeants' agony and expectation regarding promotion are very much logical. Besides, steps for improving the sergeants' living standard and their overall betterment should be considered, said the official preferring anonymity.