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Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has ordered the rapid purchase of a sufficient number of body-worn cameras for law-enforcing agencies to ensure “transparency, peace and safety” during the national election.
He sets a December deadline to complete the purchase and operational training, aiming to prevent violence or any untoward incidents during the voting period, bdnews24.com reports.
The directive was disclosed on Tuesday at a meeting held at the State Guest House Jamuna, according to a media statement from the Chief Adviser’s Office.
The government has decided to procure 40,000 bodycams to support law enforcers in the parliamentary polls scheduled for February.
After a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Procurement on Sept 13, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said: “Police officers serving in the national election will be provided with body cameras. More than 40,000 cameras have been initially planned. We have approved this.”
He added that the purchase will be funded through the UN Development Programme (UNDP), without disclosing the exact cost.
At Jamuna, Yunus said: “All possible preparations must be completed swiftly to hold a free and peaceful election. Voters must feel confident that a safe and conducive environment exists for voting.”
He added, “To prevent any untoward election-related incidents, we must strengthen law enforcement and build a system that leaves no room for deterioration of the situation.”
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, the chief adviser’s special assistant on ICT, said police personnel have already begun preliminary training using the body-worn cameras currently in stock.
Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury noted that once the new cameras arrive, training will be provided to policemen in every district.
He said bodycams will allow central monitoring of polling stations during elections, while also enabling observation from each police station and district police superintendent’s office.