Dhaka, Sept. 21 -- Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman yesterday said that Bangladesh's police force, like other state institutions, has long been politicised, with serious consequences for citizens and the rule of law.

Speaking at a roundtable titled "Need for Police Reform: Civil Society Perspective" organised by The Daily Star at the newspaper's office in Dhaka, Iftekharuzzaman argued that the country's police not only allowed themselves to be politically used but also benefitted from that misuse of power.

"They were not only used; they allowed themselves to be used. In doing so, they gained advantages, enjoyed power, and violated citizens' rights," he said. "Everything granted, but the auth...