Govt reinstates dark blue, olive shirts and khaki pants for police uniforms
The government has issued a gazette notification changing the colour of Bangladesh Police uniforms, replacing the iron-grey attire introduced by the interim administration last year.
The government has officially changed the colour of Bangladesh Police uniforms, bringing back dark blue and light olive shirts with khaki pants for most police units.
A gazette notification to this effect was issued by Police Headquarters yesterday (18 June), signed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir.
According to the gazette, personnel serving in district police and other police units will wear dark blue shirts, while members of all metropolitan police forces will wear light olive shirts. Pants for all police personnel will be khaki.
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However, the new uniform policy will not apply to the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Specialised Police Battalion (SPBn), Special Branch (SB), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Calls for police reforms emerged after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024 following the July mass uprising. Among the proposed reforms was a change in police uniforms.
In this context, the Advisory Council Committee on Law and Order decided on 20 January last year to introduce new uniforms for police personnel. An iron-grey uniform was selected for all members of the force, and police officers began wearing the new attire in the field on 25 November.
The change, however, drew mixed reactions, including from police personnel.
After assuming office, the BNP government was urged to reconsider the decision by the Bangladesh Police Service Association on 24 February.
In a statement, the association said the uniform chosen by the interim government failed to take into account the complexion of police personnel, local weather conditions and the opinions of force members.
The association also argued that the uniform closely resembled those of other uniformed agencies and had been selected without any public consultation, making it difficult to distinguish police officers in the field.
It added that a majority of police personnel did not support what it described as a hastily implemented change.
