Bangladesh Police launched a specialised and independent Cyber Police Unit as part of a broader move to modernise policing, strengthen digital security and build investigative capabilities in the rapidly evolving era of artificial intelligence (AI).
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed formally inaugurated the new unit at the Hall of Pride, Police Headquarters on Thursday.
Speaking at a press briefing following the inauguration, the home minister said the changing nature of crime, coupled with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, requires law enforcement agencies to move beyond conventional policing methods and embrace technology-driven and knowledge-based approaches.
“In the era of artificial intelligence, the nature of crime is changing rapidly. Our policing system must evolve accordingly. The Cyber Police Unit is a major step towards transforming Bangladesh Police into a modern, technology-driven and knowledge-based force,” he said.
The launch marks a significant institutional move by Bangladesh Police towards building a technology-led policing framework capable of responding to increasingly sophisticated forms of crime in the AI era.
The new unit will operate under the leadership of an Additional Inspector General of Police (Additional IGP).
Mohammad Iqbal Hossain who has initially been assigned to lead the unit.
At the divisional level, deputy inspectors general (DIGs) and additional DIGs will oversee cyber policing activities, while superintendents of police (SPs) or designated senior officers will be responsible at the district level.
Dedicated sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors and constables will also be deployed at police stations to provide cyber-related services and conduct investigations.
According to the approved organisational structure, the unit will have a total strength of 4,592 personnel.
Initially, experienced and trained members of the existing police force will be deployed, while additional recruitment will be undertaken to complete the manpower structure.
The government is also creating a specialised technical workforce within the unit by allowing contractual and outsourced recruitment of professionals with expertise in critical areas of cyber security and digital investigation.
The minister said specialists including system analysts, financial data analysts, cyber security experts, network administrators, dark-web analysts, crypto analysts, malware analysts, social-media analysts, emergency-response consultants and disaster-recovery experts would be recruited under separate and competitive remuneration arrangements.
IT-trained members of the regular police force will also receive priority for deployment to the unit, while senior officers and specialists will undergo advanced training at home and abroad.
A modern digital forensic laboratory is also being established under the Cyber Police Unit, equipped with advanced technology and specialised cyber-investigation tools.
The facility is expected to support investigations into financial crime, money laundering, social-media-based offences, misinformation, drug-related crimes and extremist activities involving digital platforms.
The home minister said the new structure would bring together cyber-investigation activities that were previously conducted separately by different police units.
“Cyber investigations were previously carried out in a fragmented manner across different units. The new Cyber Police Unit will bring these activities under a single, coordinated framework, helping us improve investigative efficiency, technological capability and institutional coordination,” he said.
He expressed hope that the specialised unit would significantly strengthen the country's ability to prevent and investigate cybercrime and counter the misuse of cyberspace.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Manzur Morshed Chowdhury and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir, and senior police officials were present at the briefing.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday 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 will be 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.
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.
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 unit is expected to provide a more coordinated institutional framework for cybercrime investigation, digital forensics and specialised training within Bangladesh Police.