Baroness Nuala O’Loan, former police ombudsman of Northern Ireland, has urged Bangladesh to establish independent police oversight to rebuild public confidence in law enforcement, citing lessons from Northern Ireland’s police reforms.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Embassy of Ireland at the University of Dhaka’s Department of Botany, she stressed that an independent accountability system is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring lasting peace ahead of future elections.
Acknowledging Bangladesh’s political climate, she praised students for handling the July uprising peacefully, noting the country “did not erupt into constant violence.”
Baroness O’Loan highlighted widespread distrust in the rule of law and the politicization of policing as major challenges. She said inadequate pay and poor working conditions can lead to corruption and emphasized the importance of fair compensation and proper accommodation for police officers. She also stressed training, accountability, and clear rules for use of force as critical to preventing brutality and misconduct.
Drawing on Northern Ireland’s experience, she outlined key principles for successful policing: professional, efficient, fair, impartial, and free from partisan political control. She described reforms in Northern Ireland, including demilitarized policing, new uniforms, repainted patrol cars, and non-lethal equipment like Tasers and CS spray, noting that policing must operate “with the consent of the people.”
Baroness O’Loan strongly endorsed independent oversight mechanisms recommended by the Bangladesh Police Reform Commission. Recounting her work as Police Ombudsman, she described investigations into incidents such as the 1998 Omagh bombing, where she released findings despite government pressure, and cases of informant-related corruption. She stressed that ombudsman offices must be impartial, evidence-based, and fully empowered to investigate police misconduct.
Acknowledging the challenges of reform, she said, “It can be very difficult to get this process on the ground… I reckon it’s five years before we began to really change policing.” Nevertheless, she stressed that independent investigation is vital and that restoring public confidence “outweighs the costs.”
The event was attended by Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland; Masud Jamil Khan, Consul of Ireland in Bangladesh; Reymon Mullen, Deputy Ambassador; Fionnuala Gilsenan, former Ambassador; M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Treasurer of DU; Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed, Chairman of Botany Department; and Dr. Mohammad Zashim Uddin, Chief Returning Officer of the DUCSU election 2025, among others.
