Body cam plan scaled back for polls, limited to sensitive areas: Finance adviser

The government will reduce the planned number of body cameras for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election, with the devices to be used only in sensitive areas, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has said.

Speaking to journalists after meetings of the advisory council committee on government procurement and the advisory council committee on economic affairs at the Secretariat today (18 November), he said the earlier plan to deploy 40,000 body cameras was now under review.

When asked whether the meetings had discussed procurement of the cameras, he said, "Body cameras have been reviewed extensively. We have asked for further review on this matter."

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He added that instructions had been given regarding the expected costs, the procurement process, and ensuring transparency.

According to the adviser, "Body cams will come, but perhaps now in a more rationalised manner. We have suggested body cameras only for sensitive areas. In fact, the Ministry of Home Affairs is also suggesting this. We cannot work with body cams everywhere. There are matters of monitoring them. Images will come; action will have to be taken."

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He said the Ministry of Home Affairs would purchase the cameras for sensitive areas in consultation with the Election Commission.

Asked whether the number of 40,000 cameras would be reduced, he said, "That is what is being rationalised. The number will decrease. But I will not say by how much right now."

In response to a question about when the procurement would take place, he said it would be "very soon."