40,000 bodycams being purchased for polling station security: Finance adviser

The government has approved the procurement of around 40,000 body cameras for police personnel to be used during the upcoming national election scheduled for February.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed disclosed the decision while briefing reporters after a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Government Purchases at the Secretariat today (23 September).

He said the procurement would be carried out through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to ensure quality, transparency, and neutrality.

"The police will be given 40,000 body cameras during the national parliamentary election. The proposal to buy these cameras has been approved. They must be brought in quickly," he said.

Asked about the cost, the adviser said it could not be specified at the moment as the procurement would be managed by the UNDP.

He explained that the approach was similar to procuring vaccines through UNICEF, avoiding issues of quality and pricing that may arise in a direct tender process.

"This way, we will not have to negotiate with anyone," he said.

Salehuddin Ahmed added that the expense would be covered from the election sector's budget.

"We are giving it to the police, not the Election Commission. There will be no shortage of what is needed for the election," he said.

Notably, on 10 August, a statement was shared on the official Facebook page of the chief adviser regarding the procurement of around 40,000 body cameras for police to bolster security at polling centres during the upcoming 13th national election.

The post stated that the decision was discussed on 9 August at a high-level meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka, chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.