Summary:
- More than 310 trainee sub-inspectors from the 40th batch were dismissed between October-November 2023 for alleged disciplinary breaches, just one month before their graduation from Bangladesh Police Academy.
- The dismissed trainees staged a protest at Bangladesh Secretariat Gate 4 on January 5, 2025, demanding reinstatement and claiming the allegations against them were baseless.
- The dismissals affected a significant portion of the original 823-member training cohort, with show-cause notices issued in three phases for alleged misconduct in field training and classroom settings.
- Eight additional trainee SIs were dismissed on January 1, 2025, and were given just one hour to leave the academy premises after receiving dismissal letters at 8:00 PM.
Hundreds of dismissed trainee sub-inspectors (SIs) gathered in front of the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday morning, demanding reinstatement to their positions in the police force. The protest, which began at 10:00 am near Gate 4, marks the latest development in an ongoing controversy surrounding mass dismissals from the Bangladesh Police Academy.
The protesters, all members of the 40th Outside Cadet batch, are among more than 310 trainees who were dismissed between October and November 2023 for alleged disciplinary breaches. These dismissals occurred just one month before their scheduled graduation, affecting a significant portion of the original 823-member training cohort that began their basic training at the Sarada Police Academy.
During the demonstration, the former trainees strongly contested the grounds for their termination, claiming the allegations against them were baseless and unjustified. They called for higher authorities to conduct a transparent reassessment of their cases.
The recent wave of dismissals has unfolded in multiple phases. The most recent occurred on January 1, 2025, when eight additional trainee SIs were dismissed after receiving show-cause notices for allegedly causing a disturbance with loud noise in the field. These trainees were given just one hour to vacate the academy premises after receiving their dismissal letters at 8:00 pm.
The disciplinary actions at the Police Academy have also affected other training programs. The closing parade for 62 Assistant Police Superintendents of the 40th BCS Police Cadre was canceled twice – first in October and again in November 2023.
“We were dismissed over unfounded allegations,” protesters stated during the human chain demonstration, emphasizing their desire for a fair review of their cases.
The training program, which was scheduled to conclude on November 4, 2024, would have led to the trainees’ deployment across various police units. Instead, the academy has taken stringent disciplinary measures, issuing show-cause notices to 313 SIs in three phases for alleged disorderly conduct in both field training and classroom settings.
Attempts to reach Police Academy Principal Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan for comment on these developments have been unsuccessful.
Source: TBS News
