Majority of Public wants Police held accountable for excessive force

A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs shows that 71.5% of people believe police officers should be punished when they use excessive force, especially during protests or crackdowns on opposition. 

The findings were part of a study titled "What Kind of Police Do We Want?" and were made public on December 3.

According to the survey, 68.8% of respondents are in favor of adopting international human rights guidelines as part of standard police procedures.

Additionally, 68.27% supported the idea of rewarding or penalizing officers based on how they respect human rights during their service.

The survey also revealed that 51.8% of participants think requiring approval from the Metropolitan Police Commission before holding a public assembly violates basic rights. However, 37.4% disagreed with this, and 10.8% were unsure.

Although the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Act of 1976 allows the Police Commissioner to suspend gatherings for up to 30 days in the public interest. 

However, the law does not specify the need for prior approval for organizing these events. In this regard, 71.2% of the respondents called for a change in the law to promote a more democratic environment.

Moreover, 82.5% of respondents felt that Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is prone to misuse. Of those, 46.2% advocated for reforms to modernize the law. 

Many believe that reforming this colonial-era regulation will create a more democratic and fair legal system. Additionally, 39.7% agreed with higher court recommendations to revise this section.

A total of 24,442 people participated in the survey, with 86.6% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 44. Around 95% of participants submitted responses. 

Of the respondents, 36.4% were employed, 27.2% were students, 7.6% were businesspeople, and 7.1% came from various other professions. Most of the responses came from Dhaka, followed by Chattogram and Cumilla.

The survey highlighted that the majority of respondents want a police force free from political influence. The second most common demand was for a neutral police force, and the third was for a corruption-free police force.

A significant 89.5% of people expressed the need to stop the political use of the police. Additionally, 77.9% want to end corruption caused by the misuse of police power. 

In terms of human rights, 74.9% supported holding officers accountable for violations such as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Lastly, 95% of respondents demanded an end to false and fabricated cases.