'Government for punishing the wicked, nurturing the virtuous'
Collected Photo
To boost the ethical morale of the police force and recognize good deeds, the government has awarded 15 police members for their special contributions in three incidents that garnered nationwide attention. Each awardee has been given a financial grant of Tk 20,000. Additionally, three naval police officers have been awarded IG badges.
These awards were handed over today, Monday, by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at an event organized in the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Later, while briefing journalists, he said the current government believes in the policies of 'nurturing the virtuous and suppressing the wicked' and 'reward and punishment.' By recognizing good work and ensuring accountability for misdeeds, the police force is being made more service-oriented and people-friendly.
The Home Minister remarked that in the past, such award ceremonies at the Ministry of Home Affairs were not common. Medals and badges were usually given at annual events at Rajarbagh Police Lines or the Police Headquarters. However, this special initiative has been taken to instantly encourage police members working in the field.
According to him, the government has successfully overcome the crisis regarding the image of the police force that emerged after August 5. Currently, the police have been able to earn the public's trust. He also claimed that the crime rate in the country has decreased compared to 2024 and 2025, and the law and order situation has improved.
In response to a question about a recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), the Home Minister commented that TIB is not a government agency. He said they often prepare reports based on newspaper reports without conducting field-level investigations. However, the government considers information published in the media seriously and verifies it when necessary.
Acknowledging the limitations of allocations for case investigations, he said that given the current budget reality, the ministry is considering increasing allocations for investigations, post-mortems, and other activities.
In response to a question regarding absconding or indisciplined police officers, the Minister stated that no leniency will be shown towards them. Departmental action has been taken against the officers concerned. Those against whom criminal cases have been filed must face the law.
Among the awardees, the highest number—nine officers—were awarded for their role in investigating the high-profile Rape and Murder case of Ramisa at the Pallabi Police Station in the capital. In recognition of their contributions to the swift arrest of the accused, DNA testing, collection of autopsy reports, recording statements under Section 164, and facilitating the speedy disposal of the case, Assistant Police Commissioner of Pallabi Zone Md. Jahid Hossain, Sub-Inspector (SI) Ohiduzzaman, along with members of the operational team of Mirpur Zone, were awarded.
Three naval police members were honored for their role in risking their lives to save at least 50 passengers when a passenger bus was at risk of an accident at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat. Among them is SI Mohammad Abuzar Gifari of the Char Janajat and Kalatala Naval Police Outpost in Madaripur.
Additionally, three officers, including SI Roni Debnath of the PBI in Munshiganj, were awarded for identifying the unknown body of a teenage girl recovered from a river in Gazaria, Munshiganj, and unraveling the mystery of a gang rape and murder case within just one day, leading to the arrest of four accused.
The event was attended by Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, Secretary (Routine Duties) of the Ministry of Home Affairs; Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, Inspector General of Police (IGP); Md. Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP); along with senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Headquarters.
