Inception workshop

Inception workshop on Gender Responsive Community Based Policing (GRCBP) as a technique of prevention of crime and violence

Community Policing - a system which is based on the joint partnership between police and public. In this system, police, and public jointly identify the problems of the locality and find out the solution as priority basis. It is mentioned about community policing in PRB Rule-32 “assist to protect family violence and arrest the criminals and hand over to police”. It is a problem solution and prevention based system i.e. take corrective measure to protect women and family violence, robbery, stealing and other violence, mitigate land-related disputes, stop eve teasing, provide legal assistance to women, children, tribal and disabled people of the society.

On 28 August 2010, Saturday at 11 am – an inception workshop on “Gender Responsive Community Based Policing (GRCBP) as a technique of prevention of crime and violence” was arranged at SUS conference room by the presence of the representatives of union Parishad, police administration, SUS, president and secretary of MSP and ward level CPF committee, president of human rights lawyer association, journalist and other elites of the locality. Kazi Sohul Ahmed, Acting Executive Director of SUS presided over and inaugurated the workshop through his inaugural speech. The chief guest of the workshop was Sheikh Nazmul Alam-ppm (Seva), Police Super, Netrakona. The special guests were Tafsir Uddin Khan, Upazila chairman-Netrakona Sadar, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mayor-Netrakona pourasova, Asaduzzaman, ASP-Netrakona Model Thana, Ataur Rahman Manik and Tuhin Akter, Vice-chairmen-Netrakona Sadar Upazila. Mr. Shoupon Kumar Paul, Director (Program) told that main objective of the workshop is to establish Gender Responsive Community-Based Policing by ensuring women equity and legal justice. He also discussed the technique and methodology, how the capacity of community police may increase by implementing this project, how to link the project with other ongoing activities and techniques etc. Later on, a 6 months activity plan was presented.

The opinions and comments of different participants are mentioned below:

Mr. Mohsin, Counselor, Netrakona pourasava –

Before working with community policing, we should work with the human rights issue. A respective police officer of community policing should be more active. He told that police to become unable to arrest the criminals due to less cooperation of people. He also told that drug is the burning problem now. We should make a commitment to stop taking drugs through this workshop.

Mr. Alkhas Chowdhury, member of CPF –

We have to work together in our area. He appreciated SUS to take this initiative. If the people do not cooperate, the crimes will not be stopped. We should bring rules and regulations to the committee and re-shuffle the committee. He expected the cooperation of the respective community police officer.

Mr. Abul Kalam Khokon, Counselor, Netrakona pourasava –

The activities of community policing were more active during the period of Mr. Sakhayat Hussain, police super. But its normal speed has been lost to some extent now. There is an office in our area. If we get support from SUS, we will arrange meeting regularly. He expected the cooperation of existing police super.

Mr. Samsuddin Khan, Chairman, Medni union –

In our area, practically community policing does not exist now except papers. He told that implementation is essential than making laws. He hoped the success of the initiative.

Mr. Abul Kashem Fakir, Chairman, Challisha union –

This initiative has lost its speed which was started 2 years back. He thanked SUS for taking the initiative to start this project. He expected that be people friendly discipline, peace and law situation will exist in Netrakona.

Mr. Sitangshu Bikash Acharjya –

He thanked SUS for running GRCBP. Through this workshop, it is going to clear to us that how we will strengthen the project and how we will keep the society out of crimes.

The chairman of Paikura union, Kendua –

He told that drugs are being sold in some areas of Kendua upazila. Especially, women are selling drugs. He sought the attraction of honorable police super so that it becomes stopped selling and buying of drugs by the activities of GRCBP.

Mr. Aminul Haque Mukul, general secretary, Human rights lawyer association –

All the crimes will be protected by the joint initiatives of police and people. But police administration sometimes does not take the complaints or GD if any occurrence happens in the locality. He sought the attraction of honorable police super in this regard.

Mr. Shyamolendu Paul, president of the press club, Netrakona –

He told that community policing activities of all the wards should be neutral. The initiative will not be succeeded if we only count loss-profit. We need achievement. He raised questions either community policing committee is being formed or survey of the areas is being done.

Speeches of the special guest –

Mr. Asaduzzaman, ASP, Netrakona –

We started the activities 2 years back. We declared Kendua thana and Paikura union as model thana and model union respectively. But the activities were run slowly for the time being due to lack of cooperation and money from the government. Still, we could not able to give an institutional structure. He feels better today that SUS is working with this issue. He believes that activities will be more strengthened. He requested all the people to come forward to protect crimes. He concluded his speech by giving a commitment that they will offer their spontaneous support to SUS for succeeding the effort.

Mr. Nazrul Islam Khan, Mayor, Netrakona pourasova –

He offered his thanks to SUS for arranging this workshop. He expected the all-out support of police administration for successful completion of the project.

Mr. Tuhin Akter, vice chairman, Netrakona sadar upazila –

We want peace. But sometimes undesirable occurrences happen. We seek the help of police administration to solve the problems. It is the good sign that women are now involved with police profession. For this reason, women can say their problems freely to women police. She believes that this initiative will be succeeded if more women involved with the committee. She paid her thanks to SUS for running this project and she also requested to SUS to cover the untouched wards. She requested all the people to come forward to protect the crimes.

Mr. Ataur Rahman Manik, vice chairman, Netrakona sadar upazila –

He told that we say more but do little. If any occurrence happens in the community, we the people’s representatives solve the problem which community police does not solve. He requested community police to become more aware of their duties and responsibilities. He emphasized gender sensitization.

Mr. Tafsir Uddin Khan, chairman, Netrakona sadar upazila –

He told that police to solve the problem of the society. People help them to solve the problems. So, the slogan of the time is “Police are Public, Public is Police”. He told that commune is award and community is the people of the ward. So, a community along with gender-responsive has added a new dimension. He offered his thanks to SUS for running this project. He expected more involvement of community people. As for example, he told about a story of Bubahela village of Teligati union under Atpara upazila of Netrakona district that Mr. Aviranjan, Sub-Inspector (SI) arrested 18 wine drinkers and seller with the assistance of the community people. In this way, people are helping the police administration. He concluded his speech by expecting the cooperation of all.

Speech of chief guest Mr. Nazmul Alam, Police Super, Netrakona –

He discussed - What is community police? What is the legal aspect of community police? Criteria and activities of community policing. It is a voluntary service. He told that the main slogan of community policing is “Prevention is better than cure”. The goal of the community policing is to establish peace in the society by solving different problems. He raised an example that 35 police are not sufficient for two and a half lac people of Kendua upazila. So, people have to come forward to solve the problems. He also told to bring mental changes among the police. He wished to arrange a gathering with ward level committee after next holy EID. There are 17199 committee members in Netrakona district. If they help the police administration, the initiative will be succeeded. He concluded his speech by offering thanks to everybody.

Kazi Sohul Ahmed, acting executive director of SUS and the president of the workshop concluded the workshop by giving heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all the participants of the workshop for their presence and patience.