In a controversial move, 171 junior police officers have been granted retroactive seniority, allowing them to leapfrog over 750 more senior officers for promotions. This decision, made during the 1997 tenure of the Awami League government, has sparked allegations of corruption and political manipulation, leading to widespread discontent within the police force.

Dhaka, Aug 22 (V7N) - During the outgoing Awami League government's tenure, there was significant corruption in police promotions. In 1997, 171 officers joined the force but were retroactively assigned a 1991 joining date. This manipulation allowed these junior officers to be promoted to Police Inspector over 750 senior officers. Many of these 171 also later became Assistant Police Superintendents (ASPs).

The politically motivated promotions deprived 2,250 officers, with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s advisor HT Imam implicated in the issue. The affected officers are demanding the cancellation of the 171 officers' seniority and have appealed to Home Advisor Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and IGP Moinul Islam for intervention.
 
According to the 1861 Police Act and Bangladesh Police Regulations (PRB), all police promotions should follow established departmental procedures. The promotion of the 171 officers violates these rules and is deemed corrupt.
 
Dr. Iftekharuzzaman from TIB has criticized the process as an abuse of power and corruption. The affected officers argue that the 1991 recruitment process was canceled due to irregularities, but the 171 officers were eventually hired in 1997 after completing their training. Their promotion over the 750 senior officers from 1992-1996 is considered unjust and has led to significant discontent among the police force.
 
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