The government made history yesterday by using a manual lottery system to appoint or transfer superintendents of police to all 64 districts in a significant reshuffle aimed at maintaining stability during the upcoming national election. Alongside this move, 33 additional deputy inspector generals were promoted to DIG positions, and a new commissioner was appointed to the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police. The home ministry announced these postings and promotions through separate circulars.
The superintendent of police, who serves as the district police chief, plays a crucial role in security planning before, during, and after elections. This reshuffle is part of a broader reorganization of the field administration, following the earlier replacement of deputy commissioners in at least 50 districts in mid-November.
In a parallel development, new Upazila Nirbahi Officers were appointed to 166 upazilas across eight divisions. The public administration ministry issued eight notifications for these appointments. During national elections, UNOs act as assistant returning officers.
Out of the 64 SPs, 46 were already stationed in their respective districts, while 18 officers were transferred from other units. The selection process for these appointments was finalized through a manual lottery held on Monday at the chief adviser’s residence, Jamuna. This method of appointing all district SPs simultaneously via a lottery is unprecedented according to police officers.
Following the district SP reshuffle, the process of transferring officers-in-charge of police stations has commenced and will also follow a lottery system. Decisions regarding transfers of range DIGs, metropolitan police commissioners, and deputy commissioners are in progress, with uncertainty remaining on whether the lottery system will apply to those posts.
Typically, SPs are appointed for three-year terms. Most of the newly appointed officers are expected to serve during the February national election. However, the Election Commission will have full authority once the election schedule is announced and may make necessary transfers.
At the Secretariat, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury categorized districts into A, B, and C based on law-and-order considerations. The SP appointments were then matched accordingly to these categories through the lottery system, which involved highly qualified shortlisted officers.
The objective of this extensive reshuffle was to place dedicated and skilled officers in key positions ahead of the election. Intelligence units rigorously vetted officers for over a month, excluding those who had held significant roles during the past elections. The reshuffle process involved multiple meetings at the ministry and police headquarters amid tensions over competing demands and internal lobbying.
Former IGP Muhammad Nurul Huda criticized the lottery system, emphasizing the importance of quality and experience in SP postings. He suggested that a committee could have selected competent officers based on performance rather than relying on a lottery system.
Crime analysts expressed concerns that the reshuffle approach might have negative consequences. Tawohidul Haque, an associate professor at Dhaka University, highlighted the challenges new officers might face without prior experience and cautioned against relying on chance for professional appointments.
Several police officers expressed frustration over the reshuffle, citing instances where some officers were re-selected for district SP roles, while others who were promoted years ago still have not been assigned to districts. Some officers raised allegations of favoritism in the selection process, questioning the fairness of the lottery system.
The ministry classified districts into A, B, and C categories based on various factors, including crime patterns, economic activity, and social sensitivity. A-category districts such as Dhaka and Chattogram are considered crucial due to these considerations. B and C category districts were also identified for the reshuffle.
The impending lottery system for OC postings has caused anxiety among officers, with concerns raised about potential removals and allegations of influence in obtaining postings. AHM Shahadat Hossain, the assistant inspector general (media) at Police Headquarters, clarified that the extensive overhaul was a government decision.