The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police yesterday sharply differed on a range of crucial issues relating to the police force.

The NHRC chairman and DMP officials expressed conflicting views on alleged violation of human rights by the law-enforcers, corruption among them, weaknesses in policing and investigation, human rights situation and sense of deprivation within the police force.

The issues came up at an exchange of views meeting organised by the DMP and held at its headquarters in the capital.

Chairman of the commission Prof Mizanur Rahman was the chief guest at the meeting and DMP Commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque was in the chair.

DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Mostak Ahmed presented a paper on obstruction to policing, lack of logistic support and poor human rights situation in police force.

Speaking at the meeting, a number of senior police officials tried to justify human rights violation by the law enforcers, and their corruption.

But the commission chairman reminded the policemen of their pledges while joining this force. "It is not logical to think otherwise on excuses as one joins his job admitting all the existing conditions”, he noted.

Regarding extra judicial killings and custodial deaths, Prof Mizanur said all such incidents must have transparency.

He observed that the commission is not controlled by the government, anditcancriticise any fault of the government and give suggestions.

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In his speech, the DMP commissioner stressed the need for reforms in the police ordinance.

"Proper policing is not possible with the age-old police ordinance enacted in 1961. Police force was then formed to rule the people not to serve them", Shahidul Hoque said. "But reforms are not being done due to interference of a vested quarter. ”

He also said at least 90 per cent cases are dismissed by courts due to faulty prosecution system and flawed laws, but police are blamed for this.

Some police officials said while policemen themselves do not have human rights, how could they ensure human rights of others.

They also said they get poor pay and they have to do overtime duties without any payment. And this makes many of the policemen to go for earning money otherwise such as taking bribes.

Police at times torture arrestees to extract information from them as they (police) do not have proper logistics for quizzing, said the officials.