KOICA, Bangladesh Police open cyber police centre in Ctg

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police has inaugurated a modern Cyber Police Centre in Chattogram to strengthen cybercrime investigations and digital forensic capabilities in the region.

Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmad inaugurated the four-storey facility at Dampara Police Lines on Wednesday, with South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Kim Ji-joon attending as the guest of honour.

The centre was built under a project supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to develop national and regional cyber investigation and digital forensic facilities for Bangladesh Police.

Spanning around 1,640 square metres, the facility will support investigations across Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, complementing the CID's central capabilities in Dhaka.

At the inauguration, the home minister requested KOICA to extend its support to establish similar cyber police centres in all other divisions of the country.

Ambassador Kim Ji-joon said the centre marked an important milestone in Korea-Bangladesh development cooperation by equipping local law enforcement agencies with advanced digital forensic capabilities to tackle emerging cyber threats.

“Investment depends on confidence, and confidence depends on security,” he said, adding that the centre would help address security needs in the region.

KOICA Bangladesh Office Country Director Jihoon Kim said the centre's value would be measured by the cases it helped solve, the victims it protected and the officers it trained. KOICA would continue supporting the project through its completion later this year, he added.

The project was launched under a Record of Discussion signed in January 2021, with KOICA committing grant assistance of up to $4.8 million.

It aims to strengthen the CID's digital investigation capabilities and promote evidence-based policing through digital forensics and competency-based human resource management.

Alongside the Chattogram facility, KOICA has provided forensic workstations, computer and mobile forensic kits, write blockers, malware analysis tools and related systems to CID offices in Dhaka, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.

Capacity development is another key component of the project. Korean experts have worked with CID officers on investigation consultations, human resource strategies, training curricula and workshops in Bangladesh.

In addition, 78 Bangladesh Police officers have completed eight specialised courses in South Korea covering cyber strategic leadership, digital investigation management, training of trainers, hacking and network forensics, malware analysis, open-source intelligence, and advanced computer and mobile forensics.

CID chief and Additional Inspector General of Police Barrister Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain chaired the inauguration ceremony. Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir, KOICA Bangladesh Office Country Director Jihoon Kim and Chattogram-10 MP Sayeed Al Noman also attended the event.