Despite strict official prohibitions, multi-tiered lobbying and bribery, ranging from lakhs to crores of taka, continue unchecked within the police force, fuelling an influence network that extends from local commands up to the home ministry.
Defying the top echelon’s zero-tolerance stance, many personnel decisions from constables to SPs are allegedly processed via informal slips with names and BP numbers rather than formal channels.
This parallel system has embarrassed the home ministry, which is currently navigating conflicting recommendation lists divided by political identity.
While Police Headquarters insists all decisions undergo strict verification, the names of ministers, MPs and senior officials are frequently leveraged, with certain file-processing staff directly linked to these transactions.
The practice flatly contradicts top mandates. During Police Week, the prime minister categorised lobbying and political influence as intolerable corruption, forbidding personnel from visiting the ministry for favours.
Mirroring this, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir warned that any posting obtained through lobbying will be summarily cancelled.
Commenting on the issue, Additional IGP (Administration) AKM Awlad Hossain told TIMES of Bangladesh, “Lobbying can happen… it’s normal,” adding that everyone wants a choice posting but decisions are ultimately vetted based on logic.
However, former IGP Muhammad Nurul Huda called this practice “commercialisation of postings” and found it “sad, unexpected and undesirable”, warning it will inevitably degrade police services.
How transfers and promotions are processed
Officially, the administrative wing of Police Headquarters dictates a strict, multi-tiered transfer and promotion process based on rank and jurisdiction.
Decisions on postings up to the rank of additional SP are handled centrally at headquarters by the IGP, the additional IGP (Administration), the DIG (Administration) and the AIG (Personnel Management).
Meanwhile, internal postings are managed locally by range DIGs, metropolitan commissioners and district SPs.
For senior leadership roles spanning from SP to additional IGP, the mandate shifts to the Ministry of Home Affairs, while the top position of inspector general is appointed directly by the government.
In practice, this formal framework is being bypassed. TIMES spoke to four DIGs and multiple field SPs, who indicated that over a three-month period, a significant number of postings, promotions and order reversals were dictated by lobbying rather than merit or routine procedure.
Insiders report that hundreds of lobbying slips breach headquarters daily through various channels. This relentless influx of requests for roles spanning from constables to senior officers has left range DIGs, metropolitan commissioners and SPs frustrated, severely bottlenecking normal administrative operations.
Speaking to TIMES, a Dhaka Range police official revealed that the Range DIG had transferred 100 officers during May and June, noting that the majority of these postings were influenced by outside persuasion.
Political profiling and factional splits
Internal polarisation is deepening within the police force, with multiple sources reporting distinct factions among officers of inspector rank and above.
In one notable instance, officers from Bogura district and Gabtoli upazila have split into two rival camps. Bypassing official protocols, certain officers have reportedly compiled unauthorised lists categorising their peers into Jamaat or Awami League factions to dictate lobbying efforts.
This political screening has expanded ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections. The affiliations of SPs across all 64 districts are reportedly under review, with numerous officials allegedly labelled as Jamaat supporters.
The mounting friction recently culminated in the resignation of DIG Ali Akbar Khan, who stepped down after publicly alleging corruption and irregularities regarding Grade-1 and Grade-2 appointments, alongside the promotion of five officers to Additional IGP.
Meanwhile, the government on Sunday sent 33 senior police officers—who served as superintendents of police during the 11th parliamentary elections in 2018, widely dubbed the “night-time election”—into forced retirement after completing 25 years of service. They stand accused of facilitating the election in favour of the then ruling Awami League.
Meanwhile, a section of police personnel has expressed dissatisfaction with the recent appointment of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner.
Sidelined officers vented their anger to TIMES, saying the decision involved supersession and political bias. Additionally, while four Additional IGPs were recently reassigned, the officers themselves are reportedly unhappy with the postings, viewing them as “non-lucrative”.
The cost of a transfer
Multiple police sources have confirmed that specialised syndicates, comprising active officers, retired personnel and civilian staff, drive this illicit transfer market, funnelling lobbying and bribes through various stages of the administrative process.
According to insiders, the alleged costs for postings are highly transactional and vary by rank and jurisdiction.
For a transfer processed through Police Headquarters, a constable allegedly pays Tk50,000 to Tk80,000, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) around Tk1.5 lakh, a sub-inspector (SI) roughly Tk2.5 lakh, and an inspector approximately Tk4 lakh.
In comparison, regional ranges and metropolitan units command slightly lower rates, with constable transfers costing Tk30,000 to Tk50,000, ASIs matching the headquarters rate at Tk1.5 lakh, sub-inspectors paying Tk2 lakh, and inspectors charged Tk2.5 lakh.
At the leadership level, the financial stakes scale exponentially, with social media recently awash with allegations that premium Superintendent of Police (SP) transfers have involved massive corruption payouts ranging from Tk 3 crore to Tk 5 crore.
Allegations of multi-crore SP posting deals
Controversy over SP-level appointments has intensified following a series of high-profile allegations.
Social media reports recently flagged the appointment of Md Riazul Islam as SP of Moulvibazar, alleging the posting was secured through an illicit multi-crore taka deal. Islam was subsequently withdrawn within a week of taking charge.
In another viral allegation, the wife of a retired judge living in Mirpur’s Sagufta residential area reportedly used Tk15 crore in stamp transactions to lobby for her brother, an SP-ranked officer, seeking a coveted placement in Gazipur, Narayanganj or Rajshahi.
These unverified online claims are part of a broader wave of reports detailing lucrative “business deals” connected to the postings of at least four district superintendents, all of whom have since been pulled from their positions.
Postings of preference and choice
Personnel interest varies wildly across the force, with distinct preferences shaping lobbying patterns.
Specialised units such as APBn, RAB, ATU, Industrial Police, Tourist Police, Naval Police, SPBn, PBI, Police Telecom and MRT Police are largely unpopular, with many force members viewing assignments there as corporate exile or punitive transfers.
In contrast, standard operational districts and the Highway Police are highly coveted, primarily driven by the expectation of extra income and logistical benefits.
Among the regional commands, Chattogram is the most sought-after range after Dhaka, while the districts of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur remain the ultimate targets for personnel from constable to inspector seeking high-yield career placements.
