Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday urged the mayors of the two city corporations in Dhaka to take initiatives for the traffic sergeants so that they can take some rest.

The minister made the call while addressing a discussion meeting on the occasion of the 49th founding anniversary of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at Rajarbagh Police Lines in the city on Thursday.

The home minister requested the mayors of the two city corporations, saying, " I will make a strong demand to them (the two mayors) that they give some rests to the traffic officials."

He said the Dhaka Metropolitan Police is working for the security of the residents living in Dhaka with 50 police stations and 34,000 people.

He said the total manpower of the Bangladesh Police is more than 200,000. Each policeman is providing security to 825 people, he said.

"Because of the rise of militancy, we formed a counter-terrorism unit. We formed a cyber unit, victim support centres. We also formed a traffic unit for traffic control which is working under the commissioner of the DMP," he said.

He said that in the past people were afraid of the police.

"But, today, there is trust...people go to the police if there is any need," he added.

Chaired by DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, the programme was also addressed, among others, by the Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, senior secretary of Public Security Division under Home Ministry Md Mostafizur Rahman and IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.