Police Headquarters has started work on forming a Cyber Police Unit. An Additional Inspector General of Police (Additional IGP) has been assigned responsibility for the unit, and preparations for its organogram have begun under his leadership.
He held a meeting with several officials at Police Headquarters on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the process.
The meeting decided that, according to its proposed organisational structure, the headquarters of the Cyber Police Unit will be in Dhaka. The unit will have offices and manpower in every metropolitan area, district and police station.
As part of the formation of the new unit, Additional IGP (Audit and Inspection) at Police Headquarters Iqbal Hossain has been given additional responsibility. A police team led by him will visit China, with several officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) also included in the delegation. Further work will begin after the team returns with experience from the visit.
Several police officials confirmed the information to TIMES on Thursday.
Two Superintendent of Police (SP)-rank officers said easy access to technology has contributed to a rise in cybercrime. Complaints of cyberbullying at police stations are increasing, while state institutions are also repeatedly facing hacking attempts. They said skilled and trained manpower is needed to prevent such crimes, which is why a separate unit is being formed.
Organogram will determine the structure and manpower of the unit. The government has given policy approval to establish an independent Cyber Police Unit within the organisational structure of Bangladesh Police to bring cybercrime investigations and digital forensics under a permanent and coordinated framework.
The unit began initial operations on Tuesday using existing police manpower and equipment under the leadership of an Additional IGP.
This decision was communicated in a letter sent from the Police-3 branch of the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Inspector General of Police on 21 September. The letter, signed by Deputy Secretary (Additional Charge) Tanveer-Al-Nasif, approved the formation of a specialised and independent Cyber Police Unit within the organisational structure of Bangladesh Police.
The letter stated that the unit would begin operations under the leadership of an Additional IGP using existing police manpower and equipment.
However, the full organisational structure, number of new posts, vehicles and other logistical requirements have not yet been finalised. Police have been instructed to submit a complete proposal, including the creation of necessary posts and the inclusion of vehicles in the Table of Organisation and Equipment (TO&E), to the Ministry of Home Affairs within three working days.
According to the ministry’s letter, the decision was taken based on a proposal submitted by the Police Directorate on 13 September. This means the unit has been allowed to begin operations using existing capabilities before approval of its full manpower structure.
Why a separate unit
At a Management Board meeting on 15 September, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad said the government was planning to establish a full-fledged institutional Cyber Security Unit led by an Additional IGP, utilising police personnel with backgrounds in engineering, information technology and computer science.
The home minister said digital crime investigations and forensic analysis are currently being conducted separately by Police Headquarters, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Cyber Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He said a permanent and coordinated structure was needed for these activities.
Through the new unit, the government plans to bring cybercrime investigation, technological analysis and digital forensic capabilities scattered across different police units under a single institutional framework.
However, the 21 September letter did not provide details on how the responsibilities and jurisdictions of CID, DMP or existing cyber units would be reorganised after the new unit is formed.
Cyber and forensic labs nationwide
Alongside the new unit, the government is also planning to expand digital forensic infrastructure. During a meeting with outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on 21 September, the home minister said initiatives were being taken to establish digital forensic and cyber laboratories from police station, district and divisional levels to the central unit.
The meeting also discussed training and experience-sharing with China to enhance technological capabilities in tackling cybercrime.
Salahuddin said a five-member delegation, including an Additional IGP, an Additional DIG and cyber and digital forensic expert police officials from CID, would visit China.
This delegation will inspect Chinese cyber laboratories and technological facilities and submit proposals on establishing necessary forensic laboratories and installing equipment in Bangladesh.
Earlier in May this year, the government announced plans to form a separate Cyber Police Unit to tackle cybercrime, rumours and misinformation on social media and other digital offences.
