The Police Headquarters has instructed the SPs not to entertain the recommendations of political leaders in favour of unfit candidates as previously postponed recruitment of 10,000 constables starts on February 22.

In case of political requests for fit candidates, the SPs may seek assistance from the monitoring teams from the headquarters, said a top official yesterday.

A special meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary on Sunday with officials concerned decided that monitoring teams from the headquarters will visit all the districts to oversee the constable recruitment.

“The monitoring teams will watch the recruitment and assist SPs in the recruitment process,” the official said, wishing anonymity.

The teams will be under direct supervision of the IGP, additional inspector general (admin and operation) and deputy inspector general (human resources).

Also on Sunday, the IGP at the quarterly police conference asked all to ensure transparency in constable recruitment, which will end on March 12.

“If this [formation of monitoring teams] reflects an unqualified commitment of the police authority to effectively control corruption in the force, it can perhaps make some difference,” Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, told The Daily Star.

However, when a section of those who have been given the responsibility and authority to monitor and control are allegedly the beneficiaries of illicit acts, it remains to be seen if and to what extent it will bear fruit, he said.

“The issue once again brings into focus the importance of more fundamental and comprehensive reforms of the police force ...”

According to Iftekharuzzaman, the draft Police Act and formation of an independent police commission are among the proposed measures that should come up in this context.

Above all, he further said, in the absence of a well-designed package of reward and punishment based on effective assessments of compliance of code of conduct, the prospect of any substantive change will remain a far cry.

The Police Headquarters on December 22 issued a circular to begin recruitment of 8,500 male and 1,500 female constables from across the country on January 16. The recruitment was postponed on January 14 following instructions from the prime minister.

The postponement came days after top police officials at a meeting on January 11 had demanded the headquarters centrally recruit constables to prevent entry of inefficient people into the force through corruption and political influence.

As per the existing rules, the superintendents of police (SPs) recruit constables in their districts. But in most cases, they are recruited from the lists of names provided by political leaders, said a number of SPs.

Political leaders and in some cases dishonest SPs take hefty bribes from aspiring candidates, a number of officials told this newspaper.

Some officials said the government high ups had to postpone the recruitment as the date was barely 13 days before the expiry of immediate past IGP AKM Shahidul Hoque's tenure.

Wishing anonymity, they said there were allegations of corruption in the recruitment and it was not possible to verify the background of the appointees within the short time as the IGP is the supreme authority in this process.

The recruitment was scheduled to end on February 1.

Apart from monitoring the recruitment, the authorities will also bring under surveillance the reserve officers (ROs) at SP offices amid allegations that they are involved in “recruitment trade” as they are not being transferred for a long time, said a DIG-level official.  

Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the ruling Awami League, on several occasions strongly criticised the alleged corruption and political influence in recruitment of constables.

Addressing a programme on the occasion of Police Week, Quader said political interference in recruitment of police has been an obstacle to enhancing efficiency in the force.

Pointing to “shares” of politicians in recruitment, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, questioned how the police would improve its efficiency if this practice continues.

He asked the SPs not to entertain unfair requests from political leaders, and said despite being a minister, he never requested any SP for recruiting someone.

Addressing another programme in Chittagong, he said his party didn't need those leaders who take bribes for recruitment of police, sweepers and night guards.

The job of a constable could be secured by paying Tk 10-14 lakh and that of an SI for Tk-15-20 lakh, according to police officials and some recently recruited constables who talked to these correspondents.

In 2016, the Police Headquarters mulled a new mechanism to recruit efficient people as constables and put an end to corruption and political influence.

It was proposed that officials at the headquarters will prepare a 40-mark question paper for a written test and evaluate the answers.

The SPs in 54 districts out of the 64 welcomed the move. Eight SPs gave no opinions and two opposed it, an official at the headquarters told The Daily Star.

Besides, 85 of 130 top police officials were in favour of the new system while 29 refrained from giving their views, sources said.

The proposal was never implemented.