No one should be able to use police against the country and its people: Prime Minister

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman declared today that no form of fascism or tyranny should ever again be permitted to weaponize the police force against the country’s independence or its citizens.

Speaking at the inauguration of Police Week-2026 at the Rajarbagh Police Lines on Sunday (May 10), the Prime Minister urged the force to take a new oath of service on the very ground where the first martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War fell.

Recalling the "Operation Searchlight" massacre of March 25, 1971, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the police members who offered the first resistance against invading forces.

"It is our sacred duty to protect the freedom won by the blood of our martyred brothers. We must ensure that the police are never again used as a tool for oppression," he stated.

He highlighted two pivotal moments of the independence struggle Major Ziaur Rahman’s "We Revolt" proclamation in Chittagong. The Rajarbagh Police resistance in Dhaka.

Reflecting on the 2024 mass uprising and the subsequent democratic transition, the Prime Minister noted that the current government reflects the aspirations of a people who have endured years of rights deprivation.

"The peace and security of our citizens depend on your professionalism," he told the officers. "The successful conduct of the 13th National Parliament election has already proven that the Bangladesh Police can perform their duties with world-class efficiency."

The Prime Minister praised the force’s role in UN Peacekeeping missions, specifically noting the international acclaim received by female officers. However, he emphasized that the same standard of "humane behavior" and "professionalism" displayed abroad must be the everyday experience for citizens within Bangladesh.