Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday informed Parliament that the government is redesigning the Development Project Proposal (DPP) of a project aimed at bringing the entire Dhaka city under a CCTV monitoring system.
“Following the decisions of the scrutiny committee meeting, the DPP of the project is currently being restructured. If the project is approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), necessary initiatives can be taken to bring the entire Dhaka Metropolitan area under a CCTV monitoring system,” he said.
The minister made the remarks in reply to a tabled question from opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mohammed Kamal Hossain (Dhaka-5).
Earlier, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal tabled the question-and-answer session at the outset of Thursday’s sitting, which began at 3:00 pm.
The Home Minister said the project titled “Development of Smart Policing in DMP” remains included in the list of unapproved new projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP), with the aim of bringing the entire Dhaka city under CCTV monitoring.
He said a scrutiny committee meeting on the preliminary DPP of the project was held on May 24, 2026, chaired by the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Five new patrol vessels planned for Coast Guard:
In reply to another scripted question from independent lawmaker Sk. Mozibur Rahman Iqbal (Kishoreganj-5), Salahuddin Ahmed said the government has planned to build five new Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) ships at local dockyards using advanced technology to modernise the Bangladesh Coast Guard and enhance its operational capabilities.
“At the same time, activities are underway to establish the Coast Guard Research and Development Centre (CRDC) to enhance the force’s research and innovation capabilities,” he said.
He said activities are also underway to establish a Coastal Surveillance System (CSS) which would contribute to developing new technologies, addressing operational problems and enhancing technological capabilities.
BGB seizes 1.55cr yaba pills this year:
Responding to a scripted question from independent lawmaker Sultana Jesmin (Women’s Seat-49), the Home Minister said the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized 1.55 crore yaba pills, 29 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice), 9.5 kilogrammes of heroin, one kilogramme of opium, 14 bottles of LSD, 26,474 bottles of Phensedyl, 11,707 kilogrammes of cannabis and 57,469 bottles of foreign liquor and beer across the country during 2026.
He said 1,219 accused persons were also arrested during the drives in the current year.
“Activities are underway to seal the routes through which drugs enter the country along the India-Myanmar borders through modern surveillance using thermal cameras and drones,” Salahuddin said.