Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said people are now getting back their trust and confidence in the police force as they are discharging their responsibilities with utmost honesty, sincerity, devotion and dedication to ensure their security.

‘Now, the people’s confidence and trust in the police have returned, which is very important, I think,’ she said.   

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the newly established Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RMP) and Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban.

She said the police personnel are discharging their duties with honesty and they have been able to ensure security of the mass people. ‘To develop a country, maintaining the law and order is very important.’

Sheikh Hasina said she witnessed that sincerity, honesty, cordiality and devotion among members of the police force while performing their responsibilities. ‘This is great.’

The Prime Minister thanked the police for their strong role in containing militancy and terrorism in the country. ‘The police force has taken timely steps to curb militancy and terrorism and that’s why we’ve been able to attain the success,’ she said.

Hasina said the duty of the government is to serve people. ‘We want people to get quick service from the police,’ she said adding that the government has formed the RMP and GPM for that purpose.

She said whenever Awami League comes to power it always works for the development of the police force, and briefly described various development programmes taken by her government for its development.

‘We’ve worked to make the police force stronger and developed it through using modern technologies so that they could properly discharge their public duties,’ she added.

Inspector General of Police Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary and Public Security Division Secretary of the Home Ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin also spoke on the occasion. 

Later, the Prime Minister talked to newly appointed RMP Commissioner Md Abdul Alim Mahmud and GMP Commissioner YM Belalur Rahman through the videoconference.

The government published a gazette notification on December 10, 2017, creating 1,185 posts for formation of RMP as per the commitment made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to Rangpur on January 8, 2011.

The RMP is constituted with 239.72 square kilometres of land and six thanas (police stations) — Kotwali, Porshuram, Hajirhat, Haragachh, Tazhat and Mahiganj — and several police outposts.

Kotwali thana with its headquarters at Mulatol in the city is constituted with 16 wards (13 to 28) of the city as its operational jurisdiction.

Porshuram thana is constituted with four wards (3 to 6), while Hajirhat Thana with five wards (1, 2, 10, 11 and 12) and Haragachh thana with three wards (7, 8 and 8), Haragachh municipality and Sarai union of Kawnia upazila.

Tazhat thana is constituted with five wards (15, 28, 29, 31 and 32), while Mahiganj thana with three wards (29, 30 and 33) of the city and Kallyani union of Pirgachha upazila, the RMP Commissioner said.

A total of 470 police personnel, including one Police Commissioner, two Additional Police Commissioners, two Deputy Police Commissioners and one Additional Deputy Police Commissioner have joined the RMP, while 295 others are ready to join their respective posts.

Besides, Gazipur City Corporation was formed on January 16, 2013, with 330 square kilometres of area combined with six unions and Gazipur and Tongi municipalities.

Around 1,100 police members will perform duty in eight police stations of the GMP.