Member of Parliament for Cumilla-4 and NCP’s chief organizer for the southern region, Hasnat Abdullah, stated that police officers must be taught to say ‘no’ to illegal or unjust directives. In a Facebook post on Monday, he emphasized that the courage to reject unlawful orders is essential for integrity within the force. He also highlighted systemic issues such as inadequate investigation budgets, lack of overtime pay, and poor working conditions that contribute to corruption.

Hasnat noted that investigators receive only 6,000 taka for serious cases like murder or robbery, and just 3,000 taka for complex money-laundering cases, making proper investigations nearly impossible. He argued that insufficient funding forces officers to cover official expenses personally, fostering corruption. He called for fair overtime compensation, improved food and working conditions, and adequate budget allocations to reduce dependence on informal payments.

He further urged legal protection for officers who refuse illegal orders and merit-based promotions to strengthen professionalism. Hasnat concluded by questioning whether the police force itself is ready to embrace such independence and accountability.