Bangladesh Police SI Trainee Job Loss 2024 | 252 SI trainees from the Sarda Police Academy released for “breach of discipline”

Around 252 trainee sub-inspectors (SIs) of the 40th External Cadet Group lost their jobs just a month before they graduated from the Sarda Police Academy in Rajshahi.

The academy director sent discharge letters to the trainees’ homes yesterday morning, as confirmed by three senior officials at the academy and police headquarters.

The official reason given for their dismissal was a breach of discipline.

On Friday, the trainees were sent on a three-day vacation. However, sources indicate that in addition to disciplinary matters, the police headquarters, in consultation with the Ministry of Interior, conducted background checks on the political affiliations of the group’s 801 SI trainees. This investigation, led by an intelligence agency, was carried out after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.

“Based on the agency’s reports, a list of 252 SIs was sent to the director of Sarda Police Academy for action around 20 days ago,” said an official requesting anonymity.

On October 8, the police academy administration issued a show cause letter to the 252 SI trainees, asking them to explain why they should not be dismissed from the training program for breach of discipline.

The Daily Star obtained a copy of one of these letters, which details the incident. According to the letter, during a break during a training session for the closing parade of the 40th batch of BCS (Police) probationers on October 1, breakfast was served to all trainees according to a predetermined menu .

“You (the SI) did not eat breakfast. You shouted and created a chaotic environment on the parade ground. You organized other trainee SI cadets and demonstrated disorder and “extreme insolence, humiliating the academy authorities. In addition, you left the training ground for your barracks without authorization, shouting,” the letter reads.

As SI trainees, such behavior is considered a serious breach of discipline, which disrupts the entire training program and also encourages others to follow the same path.

The letter also directed the SIs to give an explanation to their authorities within three days as to why they should not be dismissed from continuing basic training as per sub-rule b(iii) of Rule 741 -iii of the Bengal Police Rules, 1943 for such activities.

An official further revealed that during the training session, 66 assistant superintendents of police (ASP) and 400 trainee SIs were present. The ASPs added treats to their breakfast at their own expense, which reportedly caused the displeasure of the SIs.