Staff Correspondent

Around 74.5 percent respondents of a public survey want legal action against police for falsely implicating innocents in the charge sheets.

The suggestion came from a public survey, titled ‘Kemon Police Chai’‘(What kind of police we want) carried out by the PRC in the wake of recent criticism in Bangladesh and around the world about the violent role of some police personnel in suppressing the anti-discrimination student movement.

The participants have also given four suggestions to stop such culture that include - examining the legal aspect of filing any case against a large section of specific people for any organized crimes by officer-in-charge of the respective police station.

They also suggested for submitting case diary (CD) before the court by the investigation officer (IO) in a case for implicating names of the individuals who were not accused in the case earlier.

Procedure of taking legal actions against the investigation officers can be introduced if it is proved that the charge sheet is given against deceased individuals or innocent people, they suggested.

They have also suggested lodging complaints against respective metropolitan police commissioners or police supers, if money is taken illegally by threatening to implicate people in criminal cases.

Ninety-five percent respondents have suggested amending the existing procedure of filing cases to stop the culture of repressing political opponents by lodging false cases, which got a huge surge during the past Awami League regime.

The culture of suppressing the political opponents by filing false and fabricated cases was introduced by the immediate past authoritarian regime.

In replying to a question, ‘Do you want the amendment to the respective section of the Code Criminal Procedure, 1898 to end the misuse of the law in filing cases,’ 95 percent people responded ‘yes’.

Taking part in the public survey, 81.9 percent people have opined to take effective measures to stop exchange of money by threatening people for implicating them in false cases.

The PRC has recommended formation of a permanent investigation commission to deal with the allegations of human rights (HR) violations by the police force following a suggestion of 80 percent respondents.

In replying to a question on how the allegations of human rights violation and misusing of power by police should be investigated; 60 percent of 24,442 people taking part in the survey, recommended forming a complete investigation commission to look into the matter.

While 20 percent of them have suggested formation of a permanent investigation commission led by a retired justice of the High Court Division and 20 percent wanted to investigate the allegation by the National Human Rights Commission by amending the relevant law of 2009.

The country needs a law-abiding, corruption and political influence free independent police to maintain law and order equally for the people irrespective of their identity, the survey said.

“Some 89.5 percent people opined to stop use police force for political purposes and 77.9 percent want police not to indulge in corruption by misusing power,” it also said.

Apart from these, 74.9 percent opined to bring police under accountability for violations of human rights that include enforced disappearances, extra judicial killings and filing of false cases