Govt plans special BCS to fill police officer vacuum

The government is planning a special BCS examination to recruit police officers amid a shortage of cadre officers.

Many BCS cadre police officers fled the country following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government, while a significant number were sent into compulsory retirement, suspended or dismissed in departmental proceedings. A number of officers were also made officers on special duty (OSD) and attached mainly to police training schools.

The situation has created shortages in several police units and sections, affecting service delivery, said a deputy secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The official, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Sun that the government was planning the special recruitment.

“The matter is at the planning stage. Details of the special BCS will be decided in further meetings,” he said.

Ministry sources said the proposed recruitment could help address the shortage and improve the delivery of police services. They said the plan would soon move to the next stage.

According to a list prepared by Police Headquarters and the Ministry of Home Affairs dated 28 September, a total of 147 BCS cadre police officers, ranging from additional inspectors general to assistant superintendents of police (ASPs), were sent into compulsory retirement after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024.

The list includes one additional IGP (Grade-1), 23 additional IGPs (Grade-2), 56 deputy inspectors general (DIGs), 34 additional DIGs, six superintendents of police (SPs), one additional SP and 26 ASPs.

Among them are Additional IGP Monirul Islam of the Special Branch; Additional IGP Habibur Rahman, former commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police; Barrister Md Harun Or Rashid; and Md Anwar Hossain, both of Police Headquarters.

The officers served in the Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Chattogram, Barishal and Khulna ranges and in units including the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Tourist Police, Railway Police, Highway Police, Police Telecom, River Police, Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Police Staff College. Two were serving as OSDs at the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry.

Three of the officers were already under suspension when they were sent into retirement. One had been absent without permission since 7 May 2025 and faced action for desertion under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018. The other two had been suspended in February 2025.

Sources said the officers had been loyal to the ousted Awami League government.

37 more officers face action

Ministry and police data show that another 37 BCS cadre officers were suspended or removed from service in departmental proceedings, mostly over unauthorised absence.

They include one DIG, five additional DIGs, 12 SPs, 12 additional SPs and seven ASPs.

Most were placed under temporary suspension under Rule 12(1) of the 2018 rules through home ministry orders issued between June and August 2025.

They are accused of remaining absent from duty without authorisation for periods beginning between August 2024 and August 2025 and face desertion charges under Rule 3(c). Several also face misconduct charges under Rule 3(b).

Six officers are accused in criminal cases, for which the home ministry gave permission for their arrest in September and October 2024.

One officer was suspended on 17 January this year after departmental case No. 170/2025 was filed over his absence since 12 August 2025.

187 policemen fled

Following the ouster of the Awami League government, a total of 187 policemen fled the country, according to ministry and police data.

They included one DIG, seven additional DIGs, two SPs, one additional SP and five ASPs. The rest comprised five inspectors, 14 sub-inspectors/sergeants, nine assistant sub-inspectors, seven nayeks and 136 constables.

Force strength

Bangladesh Police has 218,747 sanctioned posts, according to the latest manpower statement updated on 16 July 2026.

Of these, 207,938 are police posts and 10,809 are non-police (civil) posts.

The police posts include 3,168 cadre positions, from ASP upwards, and 204,770 non-cadre positions, from constable to inspector.

Constables account for 130,668 posts, or about 60% of the total strength, while officers of ASP rank and above account for around 1.5%.