In a major restructuring effort to bolster public safety and overhaul law enforcement administration, the government has approved the direct recruitment of 4,000 Sub-Inspectors (SIs) and 10,000 Constables into the Bangladesh Police. The decision was finalised on Wednesday afternoon during a high-level meeting of the Secretaries Committee on Administrative Development at the Secretariat. Alongside these 14,000 non-cadre positions, authorities are preparing to conduct a special Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination to recruit between 400 and 500 Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs).
Executing a complete direct recruitment for all 4,000 Sub-Inspector vacancies required a formal amendment to the Police Regulations of Bengal (PRB). Under long-standing PRB guidelines, half of all SI vacancies were traditionally filled through departmental promotions, with the remaining 50 per cent reserved for direct entry. This marks the first time in the history of the force that an entire intake of SIs will be hired directly from outside the institution. According to senior officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs, the government aims to complete the recruitment process for all 14,000 posts by December this year.
The sudden policy shift has raised concerns regarding internal staff morale. Officers within the force awaiting departmental elevation fear that bypassing the promotional quota will deprive long-serving personnel of career advancement. Security analysts warn that repeated departures from established promotion channels could breed resentment among field-level officers, potentially impacting operational efficiency.
The overhaul comes against the backdrop of significant political changes following the 13th General Election. After assuming office, the elected BNP administration discovered that years of political appointments had deeply compromised the neutrality of the police service. During the fifteen-and-a-half-year tenure of the previous Awami League government, nearly 120,000 personnel—roughly half of the entire force—were recruited, frequently on political grounds to sustain regime authority. Eight months into its term, the current government faced lingering lawlessness and sensitive information leaks, prompting decisive intervention to reshape law enforcement leadership at the grassroots.
Monjur Morshed Chowdhury, Senior Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, clarified that the decision to amend the PRB and recruit directly was taken as an extraordinary measure to restore public order under altered national circumstances. The proposal originated from Police Headquarters before progressing through the ministries of Home Affairs, Public Administration, and Finance, culminating in approval by the Secretaries Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. Mr Chowdhury noted that while the regulation change is intended as a one-off measure, the government retains the discretion to employ direct recruitment again if conditions warrant.
To address leadership shortages at the cadre level, the government plans to recruit 400 to 500 ASPs through a special examination, expected to be designated as the 52nd BCS. Authorities are considering a streamlined foundational training programme to expedite their deployment to field commands. Ministry officials confirmed that rigorous intelligence screening and background checks will be conducted for every new candidate across all ranks to guarantee professional integrity.
