THE Bangladesh Police, as it exists today, was originally organised under the Police Act 1861. It remains a centralised force, a legacy of its colonial past. Despite population growth, industrialisation and socio-economic developments, the police structure has largely remained unchanged, with only minor adjustments over the years. The Police Act 1861 continues to govern the organisation鈥檚 recruitment, powers, and operational functions.
Over the years, numerous government committees and commissions have been formed to address issues within the police force and recommend improvement. In October 1902, Lord Curzon initiated a police commission to identify challenges and put forth reforms, with specific recommendations on recruitment and training subsequently implemented. Additional recommendations were introduced following the Blandy-Gordon committee report in 1937. However, World War II delayed further reform efforts.
Later, in 1953, the East Bengal police committee, chaired by Justice Shahabuddin, reviewed various aspects of police operations to enhance performance although significant action by the government to improve the force鈥檚 effectiveness was lacking. A comprehensive inquiry into police operations was later conducted by a commission led by Justice BG Constantine in 1960鈥�61 and some of its recommendations were adopted for implementation. However, a subsequent police commission in 1969, led by Major General AO Mitha, saw its proposals go unimplemented.
After the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, the Bangladesh Police encountered problems in respect of human resources, logistics and equipment. The Bangladesh Police started its journey based on the foundation of the provincial police of East Pakistan.
Since 1976, various government committees in Bangladesh have made key policy recommendations to enhance police professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. The law committee in 1976 suggested foundational changes, including a dedicated prosecutorial cadre, a police staff college and regional forensic science laboratories. In 1977, a committee led by former inspector general AMA Kabir focused on expanding and modernising police training although its recommendations were not implemented.
The criminal law reforms committee of 1982 chaired by cabinet secretary Mahbubuzzaman iterated the need for a separate cadre of prosecuting officers and proposed the separation of investigative and crime control duties. Subsequent reforms in the early 1980s, guided by the Enam committee and the 1984 administrative reforms, expanded police staffing and elevated key positions to improve operational capacity. In 1986, under additional inspector general Taibuddin Ahmed, another committee assessed organisational challenges, emphasising modernisation in organisation, training and equipment to create a highly professional and responsive police force.
In 1988, the government established the police commission under the leadership of Justice Aminur Rahman Khan, with a broad mandate to examine nearly all aspects of policing and police activities. The commission鈥檚 findings highlighted key issues undermining police effectiveness, including inadequate human resources, organisational deficiencies, insufficient transport and equipment and a lack of public trust and cooperation.
Additionally, it identified significant barriers to efficiency and professionalism, such as flaws in recruitment policies, inadequate training, flawed promotion procedures, widespread corruption and weak discipline, supervision and control. The commission concluded that addressing these issues would greatly enhance the effectiveness and performance quality of the police force.
Between 1960 and 1989, several commissions were established to address issues within law enforcement and propose police reforms. However, successive governments largely failed to take meaningful action to implement these recommendations, resulting in only partial adoption of a few proposals. This lack of effective reform has left the police widely perceived as oppressive, corrupt and abusive.
Subsequently, the police reform programme, funded by the United Nations Development Programme and other international agencies, launched the most extensive and comprehensive study aimed at reforming the police. The programme focused on strategic reforms across various domains to enhance law enforcement effectiveness, human resource development and community relations. Key achievements include drafting and revising crucial legislative frameworks, such as the Draft Police Ordinance 2007 replacing the Police Act 1861 and implementing the first-ever strategic plans for police operations.
The reform programme has also emphasised human rights, capacity-building in investigation and operations, community policing, gender-sensitive policies and the integration of advanced ICT infrastructure. Community engagement was strengthened with the establishment of more than 52,000 community policing forums, which improved local safety and police-community trust.
Gender initiatives tripled female police representation and developed gender-sensitive training and facilities. Furthermore, ICT advancements enabled better crime response, including cybercrime detection and biometric tracking, which has transformed services delivery and operational management in the police. However, the Draft Police Ordinance 2007, which was intended to serve as the foundation for a modern police force, has never been implemented.
Although there have been numerous reform initiatives over the years, the core structure and enforcement ethos of the police have remained largely unchanged. This was exposed during the student protests in July and August when the police employed excessive force, resulting in significant loss of life and property.
In the light of these events, the interim government established the police reform commission, a notable effort to address deep-seated issues within the law enforcement structure. This commission seeks to foster greater accountability, professionalism and public trust through recommended improvements in recruitment, training and conduct standards. However, as an interim body, the government鈥檚 temporary mandate limits the commission鈥檚 scope as sustainable and lasting reforms will require comprehensive legislative support and a long-term commitment from future administrations.
The commission has, nonetheless, attracted criticism for its limited composition. Composed of nine members 鈥� four civil bureaucrats, two police officers, one human rights advocate, a law professor and a student representative 鈥� the committee is seen as insufficiently inclusive, lacking representation from other criminal justice professionals such as judges, lawyers, prosecutors and correctional staff who could provide essential insights. The commission is, nevertheless, expected to mitigate these limitations with focus group discussions and interviews with key stakeholders.
Despite its limitations, the commission is working actively, sincerely and diligently. It has now launched a web site to collect public feedback through questionnaires. The interim government鈥檚 unique position and the strong commitment of the chief adviser may provide a rare window of opportunity for police reform aligned with public aspirations, free of the typical resistance of bureaucrats, politicians or police insiders. However, sustainable reform will ultimately require ownership and endorsement from elected politicians and the future government to ensure enduring progress.
The interim government鈥檚 police reform initiative has the potential to be a historic milestone, fostering a system that can stand the test of time. We look forward with hope to the successful implementation of the efforts.
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Dr Md Motiar Rahman is a retired deputy inspector general.