Additional Inspector General of Police Rowshan Ara Begum, who died in a tragic road crash in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa on Monday, had a dream to lead the Bangladesh Police. But the sudden accident destroyed her long cherished dream within a second. She was awarded President Police Medal (PPM), the second highest award of Bangladesh Police in 2018. But she had to die without getting Bangladesh Police Medal (BPM) award, the highest award for accomplished police personnel.
Some of her colleagues admitted that she used to feel some sort of frustration for the BPM award. But she never expressed it even privately. Some police officers who were very closewith her shared this with Bangladesh Post. In her last exclusive interview which was published only two months before her tragic death, Rowshan Ara said, “It is a matter of time that the countrymen will see a female IGP.”
Referring the increasing rate of female’s joining the police service, she confidently told that now it is not a day dream to see a lady police boss soon. Just sixty days before her tragic death, she told the media that females constitute half of the whole population. She emphasized increasing more presence of female members in the police for enhancing the quality services.
In this regard, Rowshan Ara had suggested ensuring at least 10 percent female members in the police. Recalling her joining the police service in 1988, she said, “I had joined the police service on my own personal choice, not by chance.” Before her joining the police through the highly competitive Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, there was only one female police officer and she was Fatema Begum, now a retired Add’l IGP.
Rowshan Ara said that in the social and cultural context of Bangladesh, police service was definitely very exceptional profession for the female communities during the time she joined the force. When ajournalistused to approach her to know about her most challenging task when she was the country’s first police superintendent posted in the field area as SP, Rowshan Ara always recalled her high risky operation against the armed pirates.
“It was a very dark night. I along with my forces and other officers had arrested two groups of armed pirates and recovered all the looted goods after a heavy gun-battle between the pirates and police. I was SP of Munshiganj at that time.” “I was so excited after that successful operation. Most of the national media gave exclusive coverage of that operation of the first female SP on the ground.” She recalled her memory.
While she was the Deputy Inspector General of Criminal Investigation Department (Organized Crime), she unearthed the clues of so many sensational and clueless cases. According to her family sources, Rowshan Ara was born on January 1 in 1962 in a village under Shahrasti Upazila in Chandpur district. Her father is late Ismail Hossain and mother is late Amena Begum. Among her three brothers and two sisters, one brother, AKM Mosharaf Hossain worked as an IT expert in Saudi Arabia. He was also involved in teaching job in Canada.
Her sister Hosne Ara Rekha is a retired senior bank official. Her another brother Sheikh Mohammad Moazzem Hossain is a chief marine engineer. Her other brother Mozaffar Hossain is a senior officer in the planning and development department in a reputed private university. Her beloved husband Md Shafiqul Islam Chowdhury is a leading businessman. Her daughter Munaha Chowdhury is a student of BRAC University.
Her father-in-law late Nurullah Chowdhury was chief micro-biologist in International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B).
Rowshan Ara had developed a passion for justice and equality since her childhood and adolescent years. As a result, after earning a Master of Social Science (MSS) degree from the University of Dhaka, she began her professional police career in February, 1988 and served in a variety of high-profile positions including Assistant Police Commissioner of the Accounts Section, Reserve Office, Traffic Division and Training Unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police – the largest police unit of Bangladesh Police.
Due to her dedication and hard work, she was the first woman police officer in the Bangladesh Police who was given the responsibility of a Superintendent of Police (SP) at the district level. She successfully performed her duty as the SP of Munshiganj district from 1998 to 2000. She later served in different units as Deputy Commissioner, Additional Commissioner and Acting Commissioner of Police.
Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to guarantee law and order, prevent crime, ensure security for public life and establish a people-friendly democratic policing system. She was twice awarded with the “Inspector General Good Services Badge” for playing an important role in controlling terrorist activities, arresting terrorists, and recovering illegal drugs, arms, and ammunitions.
Rowshan Ara was a strong supporter of women’s rights. She worked with communities, political leaders, journalists and others to create awareness regarding violence against women and children, by championing women’s rights issues including women’s education and combating human trafficking. As recognition, she was awarded the Anannya award in 1999, from the national magazine, Anannya.
Her dedication to policing goes beyond her national boundaries. She served as a Crime Analysis Officer in a UN Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo, and as Chief-of-Staff, UNMIS-UNPOL Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan. At the same time she served as ex-officio President of Women’s Network for UNMIS-UNPOL with a membership from 42 countries. She is also a valued recipient of UNMIK Medal and UNMIS Medal.
At the inception of the Bangladesh Civil Service Women’s Network in 2010, she was a member of its executive committee. She held the position of the Focal Point of the BCS (Police) Cadre as well as the Joint Secretary General of the executive committee of Bangladesh Civil Services Women Network. She was the former President of the Bangladesh Police Women’s Network (BPWN). She actively supported engagement with community leaders, professional groups and NGOs (with importance to women’s rights).
She was instrumental in obtaining approval from the Government of Bangladesh to host the 1st Asian Regional Women Police Conference of IAWP, with the theme “Leadership for Police Women in Asia,” in 2012. She is also the proud recipient of 2013 IAWP (International Association of Women Police) International Scholarship Award.
She had attended a number of seminars, workshops and training programs both at home and abroad including International strategic planning course in Police Staff College, Bramshill, England; Leadership Course for Female Leaders in International Academy, Bramshill, England; IAWP’s (International Association of Women Police) 50th Annual Training Conference in Newfoundland, Canada; IAWP’s 51st Annual Training Conference in Durban, South Africa and IAWP’s (Region-16) 2nd Regional Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
She successfully completed NDC (National Defense Course) in the year, 2015. The aim of this highly prestigious course is to prepare selected senior officers of the armed forces, the civil services and the allied countries for taking higher responsibility in the direction and management of national security & development and she had efficiently graduated this highly distinguished & valuable course.
She was happily married and blessed with a daughter. At her leisure hours, she liked to spend time with her family and she also liked to travel both at home and abroad. She is a source of gleaming inspiration to all the female officers of Bangladesh Police because of her successful, prestigious and bright career.