High demand for security equipment

Mohammad Delowar was busy arranging new items at his electronics store in the capital's Bangabandhu National Stadium Market a few days ago.

For the last couple of months, he is selling closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras alongside mobile phones, PABX machines, land phone sets and video game consoles.

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There is an increasing demand for security cameras in the market, said Delowar, adding that a good number of customers are thronging the market and adjacent Baitul Mukarram New Super Market every day.

“Selling CCTV cameras appears to be a good idea,” he said while talking to The Daily Star recently.

Besides CCTV cameras, other security equipment like metal-detecting archways and hand-held metal detectors are also in high demand, according to sellers.

The use of modern technologies for security measures has increased significantly in the city after the Gulshan café attack, they added.  

The sale of CCTV cameras and other security equipment saw an upward trend in the wake of rising terror attacks in the last couple of years.

Private organisations, shopping centres, restaurant owners, building owners and police are buying security products.

Police said curbing petty crimes like theft and burglary by enhancing surveillance was also under their consideration as they wanted to improve overall law and order.

Some shop owners at Bangabandhu National Stadium Market and Baitul Mukarram New Super Market said CCTV cameras were available at only 15 to 20 shops in these markets a year ago.

Now, it is available in about 100 shops there and adjacent Gulistan area, they added.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police and officials of both the city corporations have been encouraging city dwellers to install security cameras in their surroundings to avert any untoward incidents.

The use of CCTV cameras proved to be crucial when investigators identified the killer of Jubo League leader Riazul Haque Khan Milky after scrutinising CCTV footage in 2013.

Footage showed that prime accused SM Zahid Siddique Tarek, clad in a white punjabi, shot Milky in front of a market in the capital's Gulshan area.

Tarek, who was joint secretary of Dhaka city (south) unit Jubo League, the youth wing of ruling Awami League, was killed in a "shootout" between criminals and Rab within 18 hours of his arrest.

Investigators dealing with the deadly militant attack on the Gulshan cafe said CCTV cameras installed at buildings and on roads in the area provided them some important clues to the crime, which would help them investigate the incident.

The DMP now monitors 650 security cameras installed in Gulshan area, police sources said. Besides, there are many CCTV cameras there.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) recently installed several CCTV cameras in Karwan Bazar area to enhance security measures, said sources at the DSCC.

Law enforcers said they were relying on CCTV cameras, considering it as an important tool to gather clues.

“Whenever a crime happens, we first try to collect security camera footage to get clues,” said Nur-e-Azam, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi Police Station on Thursday.

The police official said the use of CCTV cameras in Dhanmondi area doubled in the last few months.

At Bangabandhu National Stadium Market and Baitul Mukarram New Super Market, shop owners said different brands of security camera were available with them. 

Prices are cheaper than a year ago, they added.

“Sales go up as people belonging to different tiers, including police officials, building owners, shop owners and private organisations, are buying these equipment,” said a staff of Camera Museum at the National Stadium Market.

Abdus Salam, employee of a private agro-based firm in Dhaka, was looking for security cameras at the market.

He said security cameras at his surroundings would give him a better feeling of security.

“It is now an essential equipment for security measures,” said Salam.