Despite the prime minister`s directive to form a dedicated police unit to ensure metro rail`s security, the Metro Rail (MRT) Police has gained approval to operate only as a wing of Police Headquarters.
On October 31, 2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued the directive, and posts for MRT police were created in May this year, but it was sanctioned as a wing of PHQ instead.
"We are the sole operational unit to ensure the security of metro rail, functioning as a PHQ wing," Jehadul Kabir, deputy inspector general of MRT police wing, told The Daily Star yesterday.
PHQ sent a proposal to the home ministry to create a separate police unit for metro rail, demanding a manpower of 1,039 officials, and the ministry approved 809 people.
Then the proposal got approved as a "separate police unit" from the public administration and finance ministries with a manpower of 357 people.
Ultimately, the proposal got final approval from the secretary committee as a police wing with a manpower of 231 members, according to sources.
DIG Jehadul said, "We got to know that we got approval as a wing of PHQ, although it was supposed to be an operational unit."
"We wanted to investigate and prosecute criminal offences taking place in metro rail areas, but now it`s not possible since we are working as a wing," he said.
Besides, the manpower is inadequate. The proposal was approved with a manpower of only three members per station, he said.
"But in reality, we are facing difficulties to tackle the pressure of huge numbers of people and ensure security with 11-policeman," he explained.
"We requested the IGP for additional manpower. The police chief provided some additional 306 policemen on deputation from different units," he said.
The MRT police wing chief said, "With the IGP`s support, we are currently providing security to 12 metro stations round the clock but it will still be difficult for us to do so at 17 stations when the MRT will be fully operational."
"We need vehicles for operational use, but there`s no financial support for it. Although we are arranging it internally, we have to go through a series of procedures," Jehad said.
The force has to collect their ration facilities from different units despite working at an operational unit, as they are working on deputation, he added.
"We can`t address the problem as we don`t have financial authority like a separate operational unit. We have applied to the home ministry again to get approval as a separate police unit," he said.
The PHQ sent the application to turn the MRT police wing into an operational unit on October 20 this year. "After getting the approval, we will focus on issues like manpower crisis," said Jehadul.
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