3-YR STRATEGIC PLAN LAUNCHED TO MAKE BANGLADESH MORE SECURED

DHAKA, Bangladesh, June 16 (BSS)- A three-year strategic plan of
Bangladesh Police for 2008-2010 was launched today aimed at
making the country more secure by bringing dynamism in the
overall activities of the police force.

"For the first time in the history of the country, Bangladesh
police has launched a document that will outline our vision,
mission, core values and future priorities. It will guide us
towards development in the future", said Nur Mohammad, Inspector
General of Police (IGP) while presenting the strategic plan at
Hotel Sonargaon here.

The IGP said, "We have the vision of a police service that
will work in partnership with the community and become a trusted
partner rather than a feared tool of the state".

Additional IGP and National Project Director of Police Reform
Programme (PRP) N B K Tripura, Dhaka Metropolitan Police
Commissioner Naim Ahmed, Director General of Rapid Action
Battalion (RAB) Hassan Mahmood Khandaker, Additional IGP of
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Mohammad Javed Patwary
and Additional IGP of Special Branch (SB) Baharul Alam spoke on
the occasion.

Development partners, representatives from NGOs, former
senior police officers, civil society members and elite of the
society were present.

The proposed strategies are just few steps towards a modern
service oriented police organization that our community would be
proud of it, Nur Mohammad said adding "Our credibility depends on
how we will implement the strategic plan".

"We envision our role to be a professional, service oriented
and people friendly from influences of any quarter and remains
accountable to the law and to the people", said the IGP.

Tripura said, "The strategic plan has five key
strategic areas of fulfilling the vision of Police. The first
strategic plan is the foundation for the implementation of other
priorities as it deals with legal and organizational reform, he
said.

Tripura said "The second strategic direction is community
policing which will foster real partnership with community and
develop operational priorities".

He said the plan contained key strategic areas like
organizational reform, community policing, capacity building of
training institutions and updating curricula, women police and
gender sensitization and computerization.

PRP PD said that the entire service of the country would be
involved in achieving the outcome of the strategic plan.

"We are firmly confident that the ideas contained in the plan
will improve and expand our services, make the services more
efficient and effective to open up the gateway to improve the
image of Bangladesh police" he observed.

Hassan Mahmood Khandaker said our vision is to see Bangladesh
safer and more secured and in this regard, we are continuing our
relentless efforts in close contact with people. The strategic
plan will help bridging the gap between our aspirations and
achievements, said the RAB DG.

PRP sources said, in 2005, the government in cooperation with
UNDP and the Department for International development (DFID)
launched the first phase of the PRP aimed at improving efficiency
of Bangladesh police by transforming it from colonial government
order to public service and ensuring access to justice at all
spheres of society.