Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked police personnel to make them the ‘police of people’, saying it is very easy to eliminate any crime through gaining people’s confidence and trust.

“Police personnel will have to establish themselves as the police of people. It’s very easy to contain any type of crime through gaining people’s trust and confidence. I hope you’ll work keeping this in mind,” she said.

The Prime Minister was inaugurating the five-day ‘Police Week-2020’ with the theme ‘Mujib Borsher Angikar Police Hobe Jonatar’ at the Rajarbagh Police Lines.

She said the government wants the police to be a pro-people force.

Sheikh Hasina said the government never treats expenditures for the law-and-order purpose as expense, rather investment for people’s welfare and interests. “Keeping this in mind, we’re taking steps to provide policemen with modern training and equipment so that they can provide better services for people,” she said.

She also mentioned that there are huge qualitative changes among the police personnel and they have been able to attain people’s confidence and trust.

The Prime Minister said police are people’s servants and they are always quick to provide services to them whenever needed.

She said the government is firmly committed to rooting out terrorism, militancy, drugs and corruption from Bangladesh and it is conducting drives against these social menaces. “We’ve declared zero tolerance against these menaces. We want the country to go forward,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said investments are coming here and this trend must not be disturbed. “Our aim is to maintain the economic advancement of the country, and we’re working keeping that aim in our mind,” she said.

She briefly described various development programmes taken for the development of the police force, saying the government is considering lifetime rationing system for the retired police personnel.

Earlier, the Prime Minister inspected the parade and took salute of different police units riding an open jeep.

She also handed over awards to police personnel for their outstanding performance, including heroic activities in cracking important cases, combating crimes, efficiency, dutifulness, honesty and discipline.

Fourteen police personnel received the Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM-gallantry) while 20 President Police Medal (PPM-gallantry), 28 Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM-Service) and 56 President Police Medal (PPM-Service) awards for their outstanding performance in their respective positions in their services in the last one year.

Sheikh Hasina also visited different stalls installed by Bangladesh Police Nari Kalyan Samity (Bangladesh Women Police Welfare Association).

On her arrival at the venue, the Prime Minister was received by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Inspector General of Police Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary.

Ministers, MPs and senior government officials witnessed the programme.