Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has called upon the Superintendents of Police (SP) across all 64 districts to treat the upcoming national election as a historic responsibility.
He urged them to take this challenge seriously and help deliver a fair and credible election, which will give birth to a new Bangladesh.
He made the call on Thursday during a views-exchange meeting with the newly appointed district SPs at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon.
The Chief Adviser said, “This election is not an ordinary poll.
It is being held at the cost of the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives in the July uprising.”
“We dreamt of a new Bangladesh through that mass uprising. The coming election will take us a step closer to realising that dream,” he said.
He added that a national Referendum will be held alongside the general
election, which will lay the foundation for building the Bangladesh of the future.
“The new foundation we gain through this Referendum will guide the nation for the next hundred years,” he said.
Reiterating that a new Bangladesh will be born through the 13th parliamentary poll, Prof Yunus said, “We should perform like midwives to give birth to a new nation.”
The Chief Adviser also noted that many foreign delegations and election observers will visit Bangladesh.
He urged the SPs to work in a way that allows visitors to present the election as a strong example to the world.
He said the country has witnessed how previous elections unfolded – some called them farcical, others described them as fraudulent or a mockery.
“We must rise far above that and set a new standard,” he said, adding that bringing this change is a major responsibility for the police force.
Emphasising initiative and creativity, he told the officers, “Not everything can be written down on paper. While performing your duties, think about how you can do the job even better.”
To ensure a beautiful and credible election, Chief Adviser said, “Until the election in February, every day you must think what is your duty for that day and must do it.”
He also suggested creating healthy competition among police members at district or divisional level to improve work quality and morale, with a system of rewards where appropriate.
While delivering speech, the Chief Adviser grew visibly emotional as he remembered Shaheed Shahriar Khan Anas, the 17-year-old class ten student who died during the July 2024 Uprising.
Tears ran down his face as he recalled the message Anas left for his mother before joining the protest.
“If I stay silent like a selfish man, I won’t be able to come back. Forgive me,” Prof Yunus quoted, pausing as he struggled to continue.
“Those words define our duty. We don’t have the right to stand by and watch,” he said, urging everyone to honour Anas’s sacrifice through their work.
“As Anas refused to sit back in fear, we too refuse to stand idle. We want to fulfil his dream. That is our responsibility,” he added, calling on police officials to commit themselves fully over the next three months.
He also asked the officers to keep Anas’s letter with them – a reminder of the courage and sacrifice that guides their duty.
The meeting was also attended by Home Affairs Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Md Khoda Box Chowdhury, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Nasimul Gani, and Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam.
Meanwhile, Ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has reshuffled the officers-in-charge (OCs) of 50 police stations in the capital.
A notification signed by DMP Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali, issued on Thursday, announced the reshuffling of the OCs in these 50 police stations. The order states that this decision will be implemented immediately.
On the other hand, 14 Deputy Commissioners of DMP were reassigned across different divisions. The transfer orders were issued on Thursday through three circulars signed by DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali.
