Home Minister Shahara Khatun onWednesday claimed that behavior of police is now 'far better' than any other time in the past.
She was speaking to reporters ather secretariat office after an inter-ministerial meeting on preventing tollcollection in transport sector.
"There are 141,000 policepersonnel in the country. I would not say all are good (well behaved). But weare working to make them pro-people. Reforms are underway to make the policeforce pro-people."she said. She gestured to her broken right leg , a result of police action and said suchincident also took place in the past.
The government will take measuresif there was any 'wrongdoings' in the police force, she told a questioner.
"I was a political activiston the streets and have been pursuing politics since the Pakistani regime. Wetook action in the last three and a half years whenever there were wrongdoingsin the police. Action will also be taken in future," she added.
She further claimed that thegovernment took immediate measures in the incidents of police negligence andinaction.
About repression on the journalists by police on the court premises inold Dhaka, Shahara said the government took action soon after the incident."Investigation is underway and action will be taken against those foundresponsible", she assured.
She parried a question as towhether the media is the rival of police and the government.
Police on Tuesday withdrew twoAssistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) over allegation of sexually harassing a womanat the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court premises.
After a heated verbal exchange,the policemen dragged the young woman to the 'Police Club' on the courtpremises and sexually assaulted her, according to the lawyers who witnessed theincident.
As the Court Correspondentsrushed there on information to have statement from police, they and two other lawyers came under their attack.
Amid severe criticism, policewithdrew ASIs ANuruzzaman Sarker and Amir Afzal Biplob in the evening. Policealso formed a panel to investigate the incident.
Last week, police beat up threephotojournalists of the daily Prothom Alo, snatched their cameras and cellphones while they were taking photos ofdemonstration by polytechnic students at Agargaon.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police afterprimary investigation closed Shahidul Islam, Assistant Commissioner (AC) ofTejgaon zone, and suspended nine policemen.