More than half of the CCTV cameras installed by Chittagong Metropolitan Police in the port city is now out of service posing a serious threat to the security of the city dwellers.
Fifty-four out of the 99 CCTV cameras set up in the city are now dysfunctional as they were installed on the pillars of the removed billboards during the anti-billboard eviction drives in January by Chittagong City Corporation.
CMP officials said though the eviction drives have ended few days ago, the cameras are yet to be reinstalled. They also said the unavailability of the cameras at key points was hampering their regular activities.
With an aim to develop the traffic system and restrain criminal activities in the city, CMP in 2014 installed three types of CCTV cameras – Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ), Face Detector and 1200 TBL – in key points of the city.
Under the supervision of CMP’s Detective Branch, the 99 CCTV cameras were installed on the pillars of billboards in 26 points across the city but 54 of them at 19 points has been taken down during the CCC drives, CCC and CMP sources said.
DB Additional Deputy Commissioner Babul Akter told the Dhaka Tribune that it has become difficult for them to maintain law and order as only 45 cameras were functional. CMP Special Branch Assistant Commissioner Md Kajemur Rashid said: “At first the CCC officials did not contact the police regarding the removal of the cameras but they informed us later. They handed over the cameras to respective police stations.”
CCC’s Chief Executive Officer Kazi Mohammed Safiul Alam denied the allegations and said the CCTV cameras were taken off in presence of the police officials during the drives.
