After 25 years in service, 302 police officers from inspectors down were forced into retirement on October 7 in the latest in a spate of massive layoffs and transfers in the department since the government changeover in October 2001.

A list of 1,000 others is ready to be sent to the home ministry, sources in police headquarters said.

The blacklisted policemen are those already in service for 25 years apart from being physically unfit and known to have criminal links, while other sources alleged that the list was based on allegiance to the Awami League (AL).

Several top police officials expressed their unhappiness with the random transfers and forced retirements.

Home ministry sources said some 12,000 policemen will be recruited -- 5,000 to fill the vacancies and rest for the 7,000 new posts to be created.

All future jobs in the police will have a maximum service span of 25 years. A plan to induct retired young army officers into the police force is also reportedly underway, the sources added.

The government brought about a major reshuffle in the police force soon after taking office in October 2001 ordering transfer or forced retirement of some 500 police personnel by the year-end.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner was transferred on November 11, 2001, following the transfer of 126 sub-inspectors (SIs) from the DMP area on November 9, and 300 officers from additional deputy commissioners (ADCs) down to sub-inspectors (SIs) the day before.

A deputy inspector general (DIG) of police and five superintendents of police (SPs) were sent into forced retirement on April 22 last year. Earlier in the year, the government sent three additional inspectors general of police (IGPs), five DIGs, four additional DIGs, 24 SPs, seven inspectors and 10 SIs into forced retirement.

A series of transfers and changes in the department also took place at the fag-end of the AL government with major changes being made in different tiers of the police administration before the AL government left office in July 2001.

A large-scale reshuffle was brought about in July when the caretaker government took over and changed or transferred officers-in-charge of all police stations.

According to police records, 19,622 policemen were punished for corruption and other crimes last year, up from 16,913 in 2001. By contrast, 14,069 policemen were rewarded for good performance last year.