Mark Twain, a19th century American novelist, has an interesting novel titled "The Prince and the Pauper". In the plot, a poor boy named Tom happens to meet Edward, the prince of England. Their resemblance was so striking that even they themselves were astonished to see each other. Out of curiosity and fun, they swapped their outfits. And that's where all the trouble started. Tom, dressed in royal clothes, was taken to the palace by a royal escort, while the real prince, who is wearing shabby clothes, is thrown out of the palace, mistakenly considering him poor. The author, in fact, uses humor to show that people often show more importance to clothes than appearance and character. The idea of changing the outfits of Edward and Tom came to my mind following the news of police uniforms being changed again. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has recently hinted it saying that the previous navy-blue shirt will remain unchanged and it will be paired with khaki pants.
He added that the issue of altering the uniform has been considered in response to the will of police force. But the question is - does this change in uniform reflect the results of the survey conducted by police personnel themselves? The survey last month showed that only 0.84 percent of police members were willing to wear the uniforms prescribed for the police during the interim government. 96.57 percent of police members want to stay in their previous uniforms. Only 2.59 percent of police want brand new uniforms. Previously, the district police had navy blue shirts and pants. If 96.57 percent of the police are in favor of this, then it appears that the survey results do not have full impact on the change.
The police uniform is not just a piece of clothing; rather it is a symbol of the authority, discipline, and responsibility of the state. The uniform, for criminals, evokes fear and fright, while for the innocent it brings confidence and relief. Though a particular uniform of law enforcers impacts both the offenders and the commoners, a change in the color does not lessen the effect. Police uniforms have undergone changes in different countries on different grounds. To adapt to the modern conditions, to suit the climate, or to improve the convenience of carrying security equipment, countries have made the changes to uniforms. Following a political realignment and its subsequent discussions on police reform, the interim government initiated to introduce a new logo and uniform last year with a view to upholding the image of the police department.
“The police uniform is not just a piece of clothing; rather it is a symbol of the authority, discipline, and responsibility of the state. The uniform, for criminals, evokes fear and fright, while for the innocent it brings confidence and relief. Though a particular uniform of law enforcers impacts both the offenders and the commoners, a change in the color does not lessen the effect.”
There were repeated complaints from the police department that their opinions were ignored during the interim government's tenure in 2025 regarding the alteration in uniforms. Following the February elections that saw the BNP assume office, many police officials in different ways tried to bring the matter of uniform revision to the government's notice. The government initially ignored the issue but eventually agreed to it. However, since a survey of police force found no interest in the inclusion of khaki pants, what guarantee is there that such a complaint will not arise in the future? It was reported that, during the interim government, two contracting companies were assigned for the supply of cloth of new uniforms at a cost of 76 crore taka. The latest move to change uniforms has once again sparked concerns over spending crores of taka. Within a year, in the phases of financial constraints, the issue of further expenditure has resurfaced. It is, therefore, not clear why the full opinion of police personnel, one of the key stakeholders in the matter, has been overlooked.
In the past, police uniforms have been changed for a variety of reasons. The context of change is different now. This change is not just a change in the external color of the uniform, it alongside involves a change in the overall image of the police department. The change, to some extent, is tantamount to starting a new journey to enhance public trust based on transparency and accountability.
The administrative control of the police department is normally in the hands of the government. The government ensures public service through these hands. And when a government with the same hands tries to use police forces as a tool to implement any political agenda or works to forcibly perpetuate power, then the policemen unfortunately enter into critical junctures, leading them to the questions of maintaining impartiality in their duties and responsibilities. And if a police officer compromises his professionalism, a set of standards, behaviors and ethics while facing the questions, he remains in the good book under one government, and sometimes gets trapped into force retirement under another. If professionalism is maintained, 'following orders' can never be more important than enforcing the law.
The article got started with the novel "The Prince and the Pauper", leaving its message for men having strong outlook in society noticeable through a change in clothing. Similarly, changes in police uniform should go beyond mere outward modification. No matter what happens, the police are always a symbol of our trust in troubles. It is desirable that police uniform should be preferred after the will of the forces so that it can further broaden their professionalism, service orientation, and sense of humanity.
The writer is an Assistant Professor and Head, Department of English, Ishakha International University
