Police and crime
It came to my notice a couple of days ago while reading an article in your newspaper that the government is taking action by transferring some 37 policemen in Sylhet due to their criminal connections. What does this mean? Does it mean that these policemen have been socialising with criminals and as such are being penalised for it, or have they committed something that cannot be treated so lightly? If the latter is true, isn't mere transfer of police personnel a bit of a hogwash? Are these policemen going to turn a green leaf overnight as a result of these transfers? Perhaps not. Is it too naive of me to expect a bit sterner action by the authorities? Are these police personnel not part of the same civil society that we live in and if criminals can be tried for their activities, shouldn't anyone or a group aiding that criminal efforts be tried and punished in the same manner? Certainly, there cannot be two standards on that.
I am sure there exists in Bangladesh no one or group(s) who/which are above the law, no matter how mighty they might be. I think it is time for the nation to wake up as a whole and stand up to such wishy-washy penalties meted out to convicts (be it a policeman or criminal). Otherwise, we may be creating more versions of Frankenstein than we are capable of realising at this point in time.
Today the policemen are not just there to solve crime but to find out and stop a crime before it happens. There is a subtle difference and it requires the authorities to start thinking outside of the box. That's how an advanced police force works in today's world.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.