With the recent creation of 215 superintendents of police (SP) rank posts, different police units have reorganised their structure by brining a change to the organogram.

New divisions and branch already opened in some units to ensure a better service, said officials.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) got maximum 39 new SP rank posts.

The unit already formed five new branches in Natore, Satkhira, Netrakona, Laxmipur and Kurigram to ensure better service, Banaj Kumar Majumder, deputy inspector general of PBI, told The Daily Star.

"We have planned to extend our service to 64 districts in phases," he said.

PBI chief Banaj Kumar said, "We have placed these newly appointed SPs in those branches, where additional SPs used to be in charge of."

Police Headquarters (PHQ) has also opened around 17 new wings like multimedia and publicity, audit, personal security, and equipment where new SP rank officers have been deployed.

"We are expecting that the appointment of new officers and creation of new posts will definitely speed up the activity and better service can be ensured," Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general of Police Headquarters, told this newspaper recently.

The authorities also brought a change to the organogram of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), which is also the biggest unit of the force with around 33,000 manpower.

 DMP got 15 new SP rank posts on June 20 and increased four new divisions each in traffic and detective branch.

Krishna Pada Roy, additional commissioner (crime) of DMP, said such upgradation will definitely help curb crime in the city, where around two crore people live.

Among other units, Criminal Investigation Department got 30 new SP rank posts, Special Branch 17 and Anti-Terrorism Unit three.

With the increase of 215 SP rank posts, total number of SP rank posts in 2.12 lakh manpower force is now 584. Besides, the force have around 1,376 posts for assistant superintendent of police (ASP), 924 additional SPs, 105 additional deputy inspectors general (DIG), 67 DIGs, 15 additional inspectors general (grade-II), two additional inspectors general (grade-I) and an inspector general (IGP).

"If the number of post from additional DIG to additional IGP is not increased, the officials working in lower levelwill not get regular promotion until 2025. Around 230 SP rank posts may get vacant in the year for retirement and promotion of present officials," a high official of PHQ said.

"Police needs at least 967 posts for SP, 394 for DIG, 293 for additional IGP (grade-II) and 46 for additional IGP (grade-I) to ensure smooth promotions," the official said, requesting anonymity.

Contacted, SM Aktaruzzaman, an additional deputy inspector general of PHQ, said they are working to increase the number of post but the process is now stuck as everyone busy dealing with Covid-19 pandemic.

"But, we are hopeful to settle the issue after the pandemic ends as the government is very much positive for up-gradation of police force," he added.