
Nearly 92 per cent respondents of an opinion poll, carried out by Police Reform Commission, have sought reforms of the interrogation in police custody, criticising the existing practice of tortures during grilling that often lead to suspects death.
The opinion came as the commission conducted the survey among 24,442 randomly selected people under a study titled ‘what kind of police do we want’.
In the survey, 91.7 per cent respondents replied positively while only 8.3 per cent said ‘no’ on the question on interrogation in police custody.
The question posed in the questionnaire was that in view of allegations of torture and human rights violation during interrogations of accused on remand under section 167 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898 whether the respondents wanted reforms of the concerned law.
In a supplementary question PRC wanted suggestions from the respondents, demanding the reform, and received four major suggestions with most proposing the interrogation room be surrounded by transparent glasses at every police station.
They said that the glass room would facilitate people concerned to see from outside if police was using physical force during the grilling process.
The respondents also called for amending the remand related law in line with a High Court directive. They recommended interrogation of women accused with decency in presence of female police.
The commission made public the survey findings, saying that it agreed with the respondents’ opinions and it was crucial to take into account the opinions and suggestions.
The public survey was carried out in the wake of recent criticism in Bangladesh and around the world about the violent role of some police personnel in suppressing the anti-discrimination student movement.
The interim government formed the ‘Police Reform Commission’ to reform the police force.
Asked how allegations of human rights violation and police’s power misuse should be investigated, 60 per cent respondents suggested formation of a complete investigation commission to pursue such matters.
Twenty per cent people suggested formation of a permanent investigation commission, led by a retired High Court judge, and 20 per cent wanted such matters be reviewed by the National Human Rights Commission by amending the relevant law.
‘Some 89.5 per cent people opined that use police force for political purposes must be stopped and 77.9 per cent want police not to indulge in corruption by misusing power,’ the survey report said.
Some 75 per cent respondents demanded that police had to be brought under accountability for rights violations and incidents like enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
The country needed a law-abiding, corruption and political influence free independent police to maintain law and order equally for the people irrespective of their identity, the survey said.
The survey report is now available on the Police Reform Commission website (www.prc.mhapsd.gov.bd), according to a press release of the home ministry.