Bangladesh police
Public Confidence on Bangladesh Police
Accountability mechanisms for Bangladesh police are evidently weak. Internal disciplinary mechanisms have long collapsed. Courts have failed to play a proactive role in bringing officers to account. A national human rights commission has been set up recently but it lacks the necessary powers or teeth. External accountability mechanisms solely set up for the police are absent in Bangladesh. Without external oversight, police are essentially left to police themselves. Victims are often reluctant even to report abuse directly to the police for fear of reprisals, or simply because they do not believe a serious investigation will result.
Any aggrieved person can file a criminal case with the police station or with a judicial magistrate against a police officer accused of any offence, such as brutality, harassment, and any abuse of power. The reality in Bangladesh is that most of the people fear to lodge a complaint against a police officer. Some people sometimes dare to lodge complaints, but usually police stations deny receiving or recording these complaints against the police. Occasionally some complaints are received, but there is a general public distrust on getting justice from such processes, as the police themselves conduct the inquiries.
There is a dire need for an independent external civilian oversight body which, along with already existing mechanisms, can create a network of accountability from which law enforcing personnel will find it difficult to escape in the face of misconduct or criminality. Independent civilian police oversight is essential to build public confidence in the police, as well as ensure improved performance. Policing must be (and appear to be) more transparent and involve stakeholders other than just the police or the political executive. Officers should perform their responsibilities in an unbiased and impartial manner. These are some of the key indicators of success when it comes to
Accountability mechanisms for Bangladesh police are evidently weak. Internal disciplinary mechanisms have long collapsed. Courts have failed to play a proactive role in bringing officers to account. A national human rights commission has been set up recently but it lacks the necessary powers or teeth. External accountability mechanisms solely set up for the police are absent in Bangladesh. Without external oversight, police are essentially left to police themselves. Victims are often reluctant even to report abuse directly to the police for fear of reprisals, or simply because they do not believe a serious investigation will result.
Any aggrieved person can file a criminal case with the police station or with a judicial magistrate against a police officer accused of any offence, such as brutality, harassment, and any abuse of power. The reality in Bangladesh is that most of the people fear to lodge a complaint against a police officer. Some people sometimes dare to lodge complaints, but usually police stations deny receiving or recording these complaints against the police. Occasionally some complaints are received, but there is a general public distrust on getting justice from such processes, as the police themselves conduct the inquiries.
There is a dire need for an independent external civilian oversight body which, along with already existing mechanisms, can create a network of accountability from which law enforcing personnel will find it difficult to escape in the face of misconduct or criminality. Independent civilian police oversight is essential to build public confidence in the police, as well as ensure improved performance. Policing must be (and appear to be) more transparent and involve stakeholders other than just the police or the political executive. Officers should perform their responsibilities in an unbiased and impartial manner. These are some of the key indicators of success when it comes to