Who will be the next DMP commissioner?

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is all set to get a new commissioner after August 13, the concluding day of incumbent Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Miah’s tenure. 

DMP officials have thrown an unofficial farewell party for Asaduzzaman Miah at a city hotel on Monday, said sources.

There are whispers within the police community regarding the next DMP chief and five senior officials are already in the spotlight generating much hype.

Top candidates for the DMP commissioner are Additional Inspector General (AIG) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Special Branch (SB) Chief AIG Mir Shahidul Islam, Criminal Investigation Department Chief AIG Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, AIG Iqbal Bahar and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and DMP’s Additional Commissioner Monirul Islam.

According to sources from the Police Headquarters, a newly appointed DMP commissioner must be capable of finishing their four-year tenure before retiring. Among the five officers, only Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun meets this criterion.

Three of the four other candidates – Mir Shahidul, Iqbal Bahar and Shafiqul Islam – are set to retire within the next two years.

Sources concerned also voiced strong support for Monirul Islam as the next DMP chief.

“Most junior officer among the five candidates, Additional Commissioner Monirul Islam is also a capable candidate for the commissioner position due to his professionalism and dedication,” said a joint secretary of Home Ministry’s Public Security Division, on condition of anonymity.

“Monirul might initially be appointed as the acting commissioner. After a few months, he would be promoted to the commissioner position,” another deputy secretary of the same division said.

On the night of August 3, incumbent DMP Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Miah joined a Facebook live with Monirul Islam and said a dynamic and efficient officer will replace him, which might very well be a sign about the forthcoming DMP chief’s identity.