Bureau of Special Investigation


The Bureau of Special Investigation is the domestic intelligence and security service of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. BSI is a department of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The bureau has authority to investigate legal offences, including financial crimes, such as inappropriate trading, tax evasion, and government officer corruption allegations. The Director General of BSI is U Maung Maung Kyaw. Its headquarters is in Naypyidaw.

History

Brief History of the Bureau
Formation of the Bureau
After the Second World War, the civil administration system in Myanmar was at its early stage and was too weak to control the war-torn country. There often occurred losses of public properties due to corruption of public servants and economic malpractices of people. In such situation, the National Leader General Aung San altogether with other State Leaders drew up the “Sorrento Villa Plan” for the sake of the future country. According to the project, for the lowering of commodity prices, prevention against losses of government properties and public coffers was much an important matter, it was convinced.
Formation of Core Organization
The Parliament enacted the Essential Supplies and Services Act, 1947 according to the “Sorrento Villa Plan”. The Ministry of Commerce and Supplies issued an Order to prevent losses of public Supplies under section 3 of that Act. The Civil Supplies Theft Prevention Committee was formed and it was led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies and 2 members. The duties of the Committee are to prevent the losses of public supplies and to conduct investigation. Subordinate to that Committee, the Project Investigation Squad was formed. It was led by a District Superintendent of police from the Criminal Investigation Department, Insein, with other 15 police officers as members.
In 1948, the Civil Supplies Theft Prevention Committee was renamed as Public Property Protection Committee and so also was the Project Investigation Squad as Public Property Protection Police. Its strength was reinforced up to 30 members and led by District Superintendent of Police. In 1950, the Public Property Protection Committee was transferred to and became under the control of the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs.
On 1st September 1951, by the Order No. 142 H. C 51 of the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs, the Bureau of Special Investigation was founded for the first time as a separate organization. In October 1951, the Special Investigation Administration Board and Bureau of Special Investigation Act, 1951 was promulgated and accordingly, the Public Property Protection Committee was renamed as Special Investigation Administration Board, also reinstituted with one Chairman and 4 members. The Bureau of Special Investigation was constituted under section 2 of the said Act, and at that moment, its strength was 20 gazetted officers, 227 non-gazetted officers and 68 staffs, totally 315. Since then, media became to call the Bureau as “Sa-Thone-Lone” in Myanmar word and as “BSI” in English, for its respective acronym term.
Evolution of the Bureau
According to the 1951 Act, the Special Investigation Administration Board along with the Bureau had been under the Ministry of Home Affairs. In 1962, the Revolutionary Council overtook the State power and it dissolved the Special Investigation Administrative Board beginning 1st March 1963 and also dismissed the then Chairman and 4 members of the Board from their duties respectively. The Bureau of Special Investigation became under the direct control of the Ministry of Home Affairs and was embodied into the National Intelligence Bureau. The National Intelligence Bureau assumed the work-distribution of the Bureau and supervised general works and service personnel’s affairs. The administrative obedience was imposed under the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In 1972, whole government departments and organizations were transformed to adapt with the mechanism of the State. So also was the Bureau in its set-up. The Ministry of Home Affairs also was reorganized under the new title of the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs. The Bureau was kept under direct control of Deputy Minister or Minister.
In 2000, the strength of the Bureau was extended, by approval of State Peace and Development Council, up to the amount of 202 officers and 1529 staff, totaling 1731.
In 2014, the strength of the Bureau was extended, by approval of the Cabinet Meeting No. 11/2014, up to the amount of 490 officers and 2102 staff, totaling2592. The Designation of the Head of the Regions/States was promoted from Deputy Director to Director to be in line with other Departments. In 2016, the strength of the Bureau was extended, by approval of the Cabinet Meeting No.15/2016, up to the amount of 521 officers and 2207 staff, totaling 2728.
In 2018, the strength of the Bureau was extended, by approval of the Cabinet Meeting No.4/2018, up to the 570 officers and 2276 staff, totaling 2846. The Administration Division was renamed as Administration and Training Division, the Investigator Training School was formed, a supply Section was formed and Technology Section was formed in 2018. The total strengths of the Regions and States Offices and Naypyitaw Office are increased to 131. In 1963, it was renamed as Bureau of Special Investigation under the administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
BSI operates for many laws. These include, but are not limited to —
  1. Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1948
  2. Essential services and Supply Act 1947
  3. Public Properties protection Act 1947
  4. Anti-Corruption Act 1948
  5. Export and Import Supervision Act 1948

    Organisational structure

The structure of BSI is:
  1. *Headquarter
  2. *Administration Division
  3. **Administration
  4. **Account
  5. **Training
  6. *Law & Prosecution Division
  7. **Law
  8. **Prosecution
  9. *Information Technology Division
  10. **Information Network
  11. **Cyber Crime
  12. *Investigation & Financial Division
  13. **Investigation
  14. **Financial
  15. **International Affair
  16. *Crime Division
  17. **Upper Myanmar
  18. **Lower Myanmar
  19. *Inspection Division
  20. **Inspection
  21. **Complain
  22. **Record
  23. *Regions and States
  24. *Nay Pyi Taw

    Duties and functions

  25. Scrutinizing work
  26. Investigation
  27. Submitting legal opinion on cases
  28. Sending up to the court and prosecution
  29. Collecting and submitting intelligence
  30. To co-operate for the peace and tranquility of the State and rule of law.