CMP service centres remain closed for poor response

Two service centres of Chattogram Metropolitan Police in the port city have remained closed for months following poor response from service seekers.

CMP introduced the centres last year in Agrabad and Kazir Dewri areas in a move to take its services to the peoples' doors.

After their inauguration, CMP said people from any police station area under CMP can lodge a general diary for missing documents and mobile phones and pay traffic fines at the centres.

The service centres were set up using a 40-feet container each, with computers, furniture, and air conditioners installed inside.

CMP Commissioner Saleh Mohammad Tanvir first inaugurated the centre in front of Agrabad Corporate Branch of Sonali Bank in Kadambari area under Double Mooring Police Station.

CMP made significant efforts to announce and advise regarding the centre's inauguration to draw people's attention and get a good response.

Later, another centre was inaugurated in the Kazir Dewri area under Kotwali police station.

Initially, response from people was good following the inauguration, according to CMP sources. However, over time, the response gradually came down.

Seeking anonymity, a police official of CMP's Kotwali zone said, "There is no visible work of the service centre installed in the Kazir Dewri area. For the poor response from the public, the centre has been closed. Now traffic police or police personnel use it while covering different political programmes."

"To run the service centre, a sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector, a constable and a computer operator were appointed. Sometimes, only one GD was registered over a span of two days while four police personnel had to stay at the centre from morning till evening to keep it operational. It was a waste of manpower," he added.

This correspondent visited Agrabad and Kazir Dewri service centres on three days last week and found those locked.

On a few occasions, Agrabad Service Centre was opened for traffic police, said roadside hawkers.

However, senior officials claimed the service centres have been fully functional and are not closed.

Talking to The Daily Star, Muhammad Jasim Uddin, deputy commissioner of CMP west zone, said "It's not true that the service centre in Agrabad is closed. We are providing legal suggestions and assistance to the people from the centre and it is fully functional."

When asked how many people were served from the centre in the last one month, the DC asked to talk about the issue with the Double Mooring Police Station.

Contacted, Kotwali Police Station's Officer-in-Charge Jahidul Kabir said, "The service centre in Kazir Dewri is not closed. Most of the people, however, are now coming directly to the police station for legal assistance."

The OC, however, admitted that the number of service seekers at the centre has not been significant.