Police to install 4,000 CCTV cameras in metropolises ahead of national polls

The Bangladesh Police are planning to install around 4,000 CCTV cameras in 10 metropolitan areas across the country as part of its efforts to prevent any untoward situation ahead of the 12th national general elections, officials familiar with the matter said.

The high-quality gear with night vision features will be imported from Japan and the United States. 

"Around five to six years ago, we first planned to install CCTV cameras in metropolitan areas but the project was not granted according to our plan at that time," said Gazi Md Mozammel Haque, additional deputy inspector general (development) at the Police Headquarters.

"This time we are at the feasibility study stage. We will go for a work order very soon," he told The Business Standard and noted that the police have already been in discussions with the government-run Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company to this end.

The Police Telecom and Management System will look after the camera installation in Gazipur, Narayanganj, Cumilla, Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Barishal and Khulna metropolitan areas. 

The law enforcement agency has come up with the initiative at a time when opposition parties, including the BNP and Jamaat, are on a simultaneous anti-government movement.

Police believe that the opposition parties could create a chaotic situation ahead of the elections and a strong vigilance system is therefore needed to bring the perpetrators to book.

"Our intelligence says the main opposition will try to create anarchy ahead of the parliamentary elections. Hence, we should be well prepared to foil their subversive activities," an additional superintendent of police, wishing to remain unnamed, told TBS.

In such cases, CCTV cameras are effective tools to find out offenders, he said, adding that the new cameras are planned to be purchased from Japan and the United States.

"They will have night-vision features and ability to produce and high-quality footage, by analysing which we can recognise anyone's identity, vehicle numbers and others," he noted. 

Currently, there are some cameras at key points in different cities, most of which are inoperative or poor in quality, according to the Police Headquarters.

Hence, the authorities are also planning to fix the damaged cameras as much as they can, sources at the headquarters said.

"There are some cameras in Gazipur city. Yet we need to expand our CCTV vigilance by installing cameras in every intersection and important point to detect criminals easily," Molla Nazrul Islam, commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, told TBS.

"The new cameras will help us avert any kind of subversive activities centering around the national polls," he added.

Earlier in September last year, police asked for a block allocation of Tk1,226 crore in addition to their budget for the current fiscal year to maintain security at the time of the general elections.

The fund will be spent on purchasing equipment and logistics, according to a Police Headquarters letter sent to the home ministry. The procurement list also includes arms and ammunition, riot gear, motor vehicles, information communication technology equipment, and computers and other accessories.

Several sources said police have already floated several tenders to buy the equipment. 

Strong vigilance on Jamaat

Several senior police officials from metropolitan areas and different districts said that they are currently closely monitoring the activities of the opposition, particularly that of the Jamaat-e-Islami. "There is no direct bar on political activities but policemen are asked to keep an eye on Jamaat-e Islami's activities," said an additional deputy inspector general of the Sylhet Range Police.

Another Chattogram Range additional superintendent told TBS that they have been asked to be tougher on the Jamaat-Shibir.

Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandoker Golam Faruq, however, vowed that that wouldn't bar any political party from doing their activities but the programmes must be peaceful.

"We will not obstruct them [opposition pirates] until they go violent and damage any state property or attack mass people," Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun said recently.

Khandoker Golam Faruq, while visiting injured policemen on 31 December at a hospital, asked field-level officials to be vigilant about Jamaat activities.

"We see that Jamaat-Shibir men have been attacking police repeatedly and brutally. In the latest incidents on 30 December, 11 members were injured. If they return to their previous violent nature, we will not spare them at all," he added.