Govt to procure 40,000 bodycams for upcoming elections in Feb

The government will procure at least 40,000 body-worn cameras for police to strengthen security at polling stations during the national elections in February.

The decision came at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna on Saturday, according to a post on his verified Facebook page on Sunday (August 10).

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and IT, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, said the procurement process is in its final stage, with a target to complete it by October to allow police adequate training on the cameras’ features, including AI capabilities.

Bangladesh has contacted suppliers in Germany, China and Thailand for the devices, which will be worn by police officers and constables at vulnerable polling stations.

The Chief Adviser instructed authorities to expedite the procurement and training process, stressing the need for maximum security to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.

The meeting also discussed plans to launch an election app with candidate details, polling station updates, and a complaint submission facility for the country’s more than 100 million voters. Officials were directed to make the app user-friendly and operational before the polls.