More than 50 of the close circuit cameras that were installed in the port city by Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) are almost inactive now due to the technical fault. Close circuit cameras are not working at least at 31 spots in the city now. As a result, the CMP is struggling to monitor the crimes in the city properly, say concerned sources.
Sources say the CMP had set up 139 CCTV cameras at 26 neighborhoods in the port city in 2014. Later, the authority also set up close circuit cameras at four more areas in the city. At that time, a total of 133 cameras were active. Presently, more than 50 close circuit cameras are not working due to technical fault. In February 2016 last, Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) took out a total of 57 cameras installed on pillars of bill boards from important spots of the city during the eviction of those bill boards.
According to officials of CMP, the cameras removed by the CCC are preserved at the nearby thanas, which CMP will install later. Assistant Commissioner (ICT) of CMP Alok Biswas said, “The close circuit cameras were being operated by the association of CCL. The CCC took out many close circuit cameras during the eviction of bill boards in 2016. At that time, many close circuit cameras were being inoperative.”
He said, “Of the total 113 close circuit cameras of CMP, almost 40 to 50 close circuit cameras are inoperative. Snatching and other crimes are on the rise in the port city as we cannot monitor the crime spots properly due to lack of the close circuit cameras.”
