Landless Mim finally gets call for police training

Mim Akter, who was denied a police job for being landless, finally smiles after getting the call for training as a police constable on Friday evening.

Khulna Textile Mill police outpost Sub-Inspector (SI) Mikail handed over the letter of approval notice to Mim on 24 December.

Mim – hailing from the Sonadanga area of Khulna - bagged first place in the merit list of the Trainee Recruit Constable examination under the general quota for women.

However, on 11 December, she was informed that she will not get the job as she did not mention any permanent address while applying for the post.

After the incident was widely covered in the Bangladeshi media, it stirred a public outcry following a reconsideration of the decision by the police department.

Later, Khulna Deputy Commissioner Moniruzzaman Talukder assured of providing Mim with a house to live in so that her family can have a permanent address after she visited him seeking assistance regarding her job.

"She was disqualified during police verification for being landless but now police headquarters have instructed us to proceed with her recruitment," Additional Superintendent of Khulna police Tanvir Ahmed told The Business Standard.

Mim Akter, daughter of small businessman Md Rabiul Islam based in Khulna, is a registered Khulna City Corporation resident.

Overjoyed by the news, Mim expressed gratitude to all those people who stood by her during the rainy days and said, "I am delighted to get my job back."

"I understand the sufferings of the poor. Therefore, I will certainly empathize with the people in need, especially, when I am on duty as police," she added.  

Meanwhile, her father Rabiul Islam expressed gratitude to all those who have contributed to Mim's success.

Earlier, a similar incident was reported when Barishal's Asfia was denied a job at the last stage of the recruitment process during the police verification for being landless.

Even after passing all six levels of the recruitment test and being qualified for the trainee recruit constable post, she was confirmed that she would get the job.

She then went to the office of Barishal range DIG SM Akhtaruzzaman and urged him to reconsider the decision. But, even the DIG could not give her any good news as a permanent address is mandatory to get the police constable job, as per the rules of employment in the police.

Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina intervened and ordered building a house for Asfia Islam on government land, so that she can get a police constable job.

After receiving the PM's instruction, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Barishal Jasim Uddin Haider immediately directed Hizla Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Bakul Chandra Kabiraj to find out a piece of land.

Contacted, Hizla UNO Bakul Chandra Kabiraj said, "I visited different areas of the upazila in search of a piece of government land to build a house for Asfia. A land has been found at Barajalia union of the upazila. Initially, we have decided to build a house there for Asfia."

Construction of the house will start after getting the DC's approval, he added.