AI-linked cameras to track criminals in Dhaka

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police will connect their surveillance cameras to an artificial intelligence system to identify criminals and track their activities across the capital city. The Detective Branch of police will monitor this system centrally from their office in Dhaka.

DMP sources say the police have already installed 40,000 – 50,000 surveillance cameras in the city to get the most cutting edge solution against crimes and criminals through a facial recognition system.

Besides, the law enforcers are installing thousands of additional cameras on roads and crime zones under the Safe City Project, sources at the DMP’s Logistics, Finance and Procurement department said.

Providing more details, DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam told The Business Post, “The AI system will help us identify a criminal under a minute, which currently takes at least two-three days.

“Dhaka is one of the most densely populated megacities in the world, and criminals use this fact to evade the authorities after committing a crime. We analyse footage collected from CCTVs installed in public, private and police establishments to track them down.”

He continued, “However, this process is time consuming, and many establishments do not have surveillance systems. So, we are now setting up cameras all over the city. We have also installed an ultra-modern monitoring centre in the DB office.”

The DMP has already installed RFID, PTZ, 360-degree, and LOCC cameras in different streets and roads, including Gulshan, Abdul Goni Road, secretariat, and Baily road. The Gulshan area alone has around 2,000 cameras for ensuring VIP and diplomatic security.

DMP’s Joint Police Commissioner (Admin and DB-South) Mahbub Alam said, “Closed circuit cameras cover almost every Dhaka metropolitan territory, and a project is underway to bring surveillance coverage to the rest of the areas.

“The inspector-general of police (IGP) will inaugurate that project. The DMP plans to build a comprehensive criminal database to facilitate analysis and cross-reference of information about criminals.”

The law enforcers have already managed to unearth further information about a number of incidents using CCTV footages, including murders, road accidents, muggings, and theft in the Dhaka city.

For example, police – through the use of CCTV footage – detained a private car driver in connection with the death of mountaineer Reshma Nahar Ratna, a few days after she died in a car crash at Chandrima Udyan area near the national parliament building on August 7.

INTERPOL and AI-based surveillance

Law enforcement agencies across the world are using Artificial Intelligence based surveillance devices to prevent crime. DMP is already using the facial recognition method using footages or pictures with support from system analysts.

The INTERPOL Face Recognition System (IFRS) contains facial images received from more than 179 countries which make it a unique global criminal database.

According to INTERPOL, coupled with an automated biometric software application, this system is capable of identifying or verifying a person by comparing and analyzing patterns, shapes and proportions of their facial features and contours.

Almost 1,500 terrorists, criminals, fugitives, persons of interest or missing persons have been identified since the launch of INTERPOL’s facial recognition system at the end of 2016.