A townwide closed-circuit television (CCTV) network installed years ago to strengthen security in Magura has largely become ineffective, with most cameras at key roads, intersections and commercial areas reportedly remaining out of order for a long time.
The failure of the surveillance system has left large parts of the town virtually unmonitored, raising concerns among residents, traders and law enforcement officials as incidents of motorcycle theft, shoplifting, snatching and other crimes continue to increase.
The CCTV network was introduced to prevent crime, identify offenders and help police investigations. However, a recent field visit found that many cameras installed at important locations are no longer functioning, while there appears to be little visible effort to repair or replace the damaged equipment.
Local traders and residents said that even after reporting crimes to police, victims often fail to get effective support because investigators cannot track suspects due to the lack of usable CCTV footage. Motorcycle theft cases, in particular, are frequently stalled as authorities struggle to identify criminals without surveillance records.
The cameras were installed several years ago under a joint government and private initiative, but residents said the authorities responsible for maintenance have shown little activity in keeping the system operational. As a result, a costly security infrastructure has become largely redundant.
Dr Soumen Shikder, a resident of the Land Office area, said he tried to collect CCTV footage from different parts of the town after his motorcycle was stolen recently but found that most police-installed cameras near key locations were not working.
“Most of the cameras installed by police in the area were found to be damaged. The lenses of some privately installed cameras were covered with dust, making it impossible to understand anything from the footage,” he said.
He also alleged that weak coordination between police and residents was worsening the situation.
“Even the investigation into the recent arson attack on the Land Office could not progress properly due to the lack of reliable CCTV footage,” he added.
Businessman Shawkat Hossain of Vayna area said he faced similar difficulties while searching for his stolen motorcycle.
Another town resident, Mominul Islam of Collegepara, said weak community policing, fewer public meetings and a lack of ward-level security initiatives had created opportunities for criminals.
“With CCTV cameras remaining inactive, criminals have effectively found a free hand. The situation is also contributing to the growing spread of drug-related activities,” he said.
Residents said authorities should immediately activate cameras at all important intersections and entry points of the town, introduce modern monitoring systems, ensure regular maintenance through a transparent accountability mechanism and strengthen cooperation between police and the public.
Magura Superintendent of Police Molla Azad Hossain said the district police were taking new initiatives to strengthen surveillance across the town and other important areas.
“Repairing old CCTV cameras and installing new ones at key locations will begin soon. We are also considering connecting CCTV systems operated by private citizens with the police monitoring network,” he said.
