Bangladesh to establish dedicated Cyber Police Unit.
Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today announced the establishment of a dedicated Cyber Police Unit in the police force to strengthen the fight against increasing cybercrimes.
The Home Minister announced the setting up of the unit through an inaugural programme held at the Hall of Pride, Police Headquarters in the capital.
The proposed specialised unit is headed by an additional inspector general of police and will bring together police personnel with expertise in engineering, information technology and computer science.
The initiative comes as law enforcement agencies face an expanding range of cybercrimes, including online fraud, hacking, identity theft, unauthorised access to digital accounts and other technology-enabled offences.
The unit is needed to develop modern facilities and professional expertise so that the police can respond effectively to crimes committed through cyberspace.
Cybercrime investigations and digital forensic examinations are currently conducted by different police units, including Police Headquarters, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Cyber Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department.
A permanent and integrated cyber security structure is needed to improve coordination and ensure more effective investigation of cybercrimes.
The government is also placing emphasis on specialised training for police personnel to improve their capacity to investigate technology-based crimes.
Officers would be provided with advanced training both at home and abroad, while foreign experts could be brought in when necessary to provide specialised instruction.
Police personnel who already have academic backgrounds in information technology, computer science and engineering could play an important role in strengthening the force's cybercrime-fighting capacity.
The government is simultaneously working to strengthen digital forensic capabilities and improve specialised cybercrime investigation facilities, officials said.
The unit is expected to provide a more coordinated institutional framework for cybercrime investigation, digital forensics and specialised training within Bangladesh Police.
