14,000 to be recruited into police at once: 4,000 SIs directly, 10,000 constables, 400-500 ASPs through special BCS

A proposal to recruit 14,000 new personnel into the Bangladesh Police at once has been approved. Of them, 4,000 sub-inspectors (SIs) will be taken entirely through direct recruitment for the first time, and another 10,000 will be recruited as constables.

The decision was taken on Wednesday afternoon at a meeting of the secretary committee on administrative development at the Secretariat. The Police Regulations of Bengal (PRB) have been amended to allow the direct recruitment.

Until now, under the regulations, 50 percent of SI posts were filled through departmental promotion and the other 50 percent through direct recruitment. The same split was expected this time for the 4,000 posts, but that will not happen — all 4,000 will be recruited directly.

A senior Home Ministry official said recruitment to these 14,000 posts will be completed by December this year. The posts have been newly created with approvals from the Finance Ministry and the Public Administration Ministry.

Home Ministry Senior Secretary Manzur Morshed Chowdhury said direct recruitment to SI posts is being made to keep the law and order situation normal in the changed circumstances. In his words, this one-time direct recruitment is being done this time, although the government could recruit directly in future as well if it deems necessary.

Alongside SIs and constables, a large recruitment is also coming for assistant superintendent of police (ASP) posts. Home Ministry sources said a special BCS examination will be held for ASP recruitment, which could be the 52nd BCS. Through it, 400 to 500 ASPs will be recruited, and there is a consideration to shorten their foundation training period somewhat after recruitment.

On the steps of the process, ministry sources said the proposal to amend the Police Regulations first went from Police Headquarters to the Home Ministry. From there it went to the Public Administration Ministry, and then the proposal for 14,000 new personnel was sent for Finance Ministry approval. After that approval, the proposal was placed before the secretary committee on Wednesday.

The secretary committee on administrative development is a high-level committee of secretaries of 14 ministries where important administrative decisions of the government are taken. The cabinet secretary chairs the meeting, and the committee approves proposals for creating new posts in various government offices.

Home Ministry officials said maximum caution will be maintained for the new recruits, and final appointments will be made only after verification based on intelligence information.

However, the report says there are concerns that amending the regulations for direct recruitment may create resentment among those awaiting promotion to SI posts. According to people concerned, directly recruiting 4,000 SIs will deprive promotion seekers; if the same practice continues in future, deprivation will grow and frustration may appear among police members performing field duties.

According to Cabinet Division and Home Ministry sources, during the previous Awami League government's 15 and a half years, about 120,000 members were recruited as constables, SIs and police sergeants — roughly half the force's total membership. Officials say a large part of that recruitment was political, and police members were used at various times to keep the then government in power.

Home Ministry sources further said that after winning the 13th national parliamentary election and taking power, the BNP found very few personnel of its own ideology in the police administration. Even after eight months of the government, the desired improvement in law and order has not come, and many important pieces of information are being leaked inside and outside the country, according to the sources. These considerations lie behind the fresh direct recruitment to SI posts, the sources said.