The IGP came up with the remark while addressing the inaugural function of the newly formed executive committee of the Bangladesh Police Women Network (BPWN) at the PSC convention hall in the city’s Mirpur area on Saturday evening.
The new 33-member committee of BPWN was formed with Additional Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police Amena Begum as its President and Special Branch (SB) Special Superintendent Farida Yasmin as the secretary for the year 2018-2020.
The top official of Bangladesh Police said that modernisation of Bangladesh Police and its capacity are being increased. “We have taken effective measures to build the police as a gender-sensitive organization,” he further said.
Women Support and Investigation Division has already been established in Dhaka Metropolitan Police while Victim Support Center was set up in Rangamati district alongside seven other Metropolitan Police Units, he added.
Besides, women help centre was set up at the offices of the Superintendent of Police (SP) at the district level, while Child Help Desk at each police station. Women and children friendly police stations are being developed across the country said the IGP.
Javed Patwari also said that eleven Armed Police Battalions (APBn) comprising women police have been performing with reputation. “They are contributing uniquely to the UN peacekeeping missions in various countries,” he further said.
At the beginning of his speech, the IGP recalled the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with deep respect saying that the journey of women police started with only 14 of its members in 1974 under the leadership of Bangabandhu.
Today the number of women in the police is about eleven thousand, which is seven percent of the force, he said.
The police chief also said the BPWN is working to increase the professionalism and efficiency of women police. The officials of this organisation have been representing Bangladesh Police in the international organization brightening the image of the country.
He expressed his hope that the newly formed committee of the BPWN will continue to pursue the advancement of the organisation further.
The function was chaired by the newly elected president of the BPWN Ameena Begum.
Additional IGPs, chiefs of different units of police in Dhaka, senior police officials and invited guests, among others, were also present.