Crime reporters express concern over Police Service Association statement

The Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) has expressed concern over the Bangladesh Police Service Association's (BPSA) statement regarding the media reports on illegal assets amassed by current and former police officers.

CRAB responded on Monday (June 24) after the BPSA issued a statement criticizing the publication of such reports.

In a media statement, CRAB said the media has responsibly reported that several police officers own extraordinary wealth. They stressed that these reports were not made for any ulterior motives, as the BPSA claimed in its statement.

In the statement, CRAB President Kamrul Zaman Khan and General Secretary Sirajul Islam expressed their apprehension that the BPSA statement could potentially undermine the principles of independent journalism by suggesting tolerance for personal misconduct among certain officials.

CRAB also argued that if the allegations against these officials are proven false, they should resort to legal action instead of applying pressure through organizational rhetoric.

The organization also emphasized on supporting the government's 'zero tolerance' policy against corruption. To this end, CRAB called for cooperation rather than obstruction in dealing with allegations of misconduct.