Record number of policemen conferred medals, most for election roles

Out of the recipients of the Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM) and the President's Police Medal (PPM), at least 86 police personnel have been awarded for playing important roles centring the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls.

On the occasion of Police Week 2024, a total of 400 police personnel, the highest in the last 10 years, were conferred medals during the inaugural ceremony of Police Week today.

Thirty-five policemen received the BPM-bravery awards and 60 others the PPM-bravery awards in recognition of their courageous work. In addition, 95 policemen got BPM-service awards and 210 PPM-service awards.

Of the medalists, 73 are from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). Out of the eight crime divisions of DMP, Motijheel has the highest eight medalists.

And Motijheel Crime Division Deputy Commissioner Hayatul Islam Khan was awarded the highest police medal in the BPM-bravery category.

With various financial institutions and central offices of various political parties, as well as the Bangabhaban and the Baitul Mukarram Mosque, Motijheel is a very important division of the DMP in the economic, political and religious context of Bangladesh.

According to the magazine, on 7 December 2022, the leaders and activists of a political party went on a hunger strike in front of the road of their central office in Nayapaltan and completely halted the traffic.

Hayatul Islam Khan and other police officers repeatedly requested them to lift the blockade on the road, but the activists attacked the police with bricks, sticks and crude bombs, and vandalised police cars on the road, the magazine said.

Several policemen including Hayatul Islam Khan were seriously injured.

Hayatul has been awarded the Bangladesh Police Medal in recognition of his bravery, efficiency and commendable work, reads the magazine.