The interim government has finalised the appointments of Superintendents of Police (SPs) for all 64 districts to oversee duties during the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election.

The selections were made yesterday, Monday, through a lottery held at the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna. 

The officers will be posted shortly, according to sources at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Headquarters.

Police Headquarters sources said the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali, was present during the lottery at Jamuna. Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and representatives from the Chief Adviser’s Office also attended the process.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Additional Inspector General (Administration) of Police Headquarters, A K M Awlad Hossain, confirmed that 64 SPs were selected through the lottery at Jamuna. He added that the officers would be posted once the government order is issued.

Reliable police sources said officers who had previously served as SPs were excluded from the list. A shortlist was then prepared after scrutiny among officers from the 25th, 27th and 28th batches of the police cadre. From this list, 64 officers were selected through the lottery.

Multiple sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Headquarters said that, ahead of the national election, the Chief Adviser instructed the preparation of a list of qualified officers to facilitate transfers and postings at the field level. 

The decision was taken to finalise district-wise postings through a lottery. As a result, the assumption of duties by newly appointed SPs in six districts last week was put on hold. The new postings will now follow the lottery outcome.

On Saturday, several advisers, along with senior officials from the Home Ministry and the police, held a meeting regarding changes to the postings of Range Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), district SPs, and Officers-in-Charge (OCs) of police stations.

Following the SP postings, OCs of police stations will also be appointed through a lottery. A list of honest, neutral and qualified inspectors has already been collected from unit heads for this purpose.

A senior official at Police Headquarters said that the lottery method was chosen to avoid any controversy over election-related policing. The process aims to ensure the appointment of neutral officers at the field level.