They said it would not be fair to hold only police personnel responsible for the present situation as they were used by politicians for their personal interests.

The programme was organised to mark the inauguration of 'Service delivery centre (SDC) and police open day (POD) at Uttara Model Police Station in the city.

It was organised under police reform programme (PRP) in collaboration with Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Speaking on the occasion Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Muhammad said, "We want to remove colonial image of police by changing the existing concept of policing."

Speaking as chief guest Home Secretary Abdul Karim said as there is no undue influence and the government is showing zero tolerance against corruption, this is the high time for police officers to show their efficiency and help sustain law and order in the country.

Larry Maramis, deputy country director of UNDP and N B K Tripura, national project director of PRP, also spoke at the programme which was presided over by Naim Ahmed, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Sunanda Rai, assistant superintendent of police, moderated the programme.

The SDC in Uttara has been named as 'Sawmitra Dev Service Delivery Centre' after the name of Sawmitra Kumar Dev, project officer of the PRP, who was killed recently in a bus robbery.

Under the programme, a day in each month will be observed as 'Thana Open Day' in model police stations when respective officer-in-charge will listen to complains of community people and consult with them to prevent crime.

The first phase of the three-year PRP is being funded jointly by the United Nations Development Programme, Department of International Development, and the European Commission.

A total of 16 million dollar will be spent under the project launched in 2005.

The PRP aims at transforming the old colonial approach of policing into a public service oriented one based on mutual understanding, trust and cooperation to ensure fundamental rights of people.

The programme with the slogan 'Thanar Duar Khola Aji, Asite Aaj Nahi Mana' (The door of police station is open today, no bar to come) is also aimed to bridge existing gap between police and general public.

The PRP will be expanded to other parts of the country gradually basing on the performances of pilot model police stations.