Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam today said the country’s main law enforcement agency await constitution of an independent commission for its regulation.

“Police is still waiting for the ‘Separate Police Commission' which was our main suggestion. We hope the commission will be formed,” he told a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy here.

Alam said police informed its desire to the interim government as they want to act independently beyond pressures from any quarter.

“We hope that it (our demand) will be addressed,” he said.

The police chief said police reform emerged as the most talked about issue after August 5, 2024 and the discussion came up at different levels of the state mechanism and the issue included the indiscriminate use of police force.

The IGP said the government earlier formed a police reform commission to reform but the issue appeared to have sidelined currently while other reform issues remained in the limelight.

Asked for comments on the latest situation of the proposed police reforms and the force’s proposal to this end, he said they were very optimistic following the formation of the Police Reform Commission.

“We hoped they will give some important suggestions for the police. We have also given some suggestions on behalf of the police,” he said.

He said apart from suggesting constitution of a commission, police also sought autonomy to some extent in terms of their functionality freeing it from undesired influence.

Chief Adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam, deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, assistant inspector general (AIG) of media at Police Headquarters, Enamul Haque Sagor and public relations officer of the police AKM Kamrul Ahsan, were present on the dais.