431 vehicles to be purchased for police to tackle the crisis

Several police stations and several hundred police vehicles were burnt down during the July uprising.

The Police Headquarters says although police station centric activities have been resumed, people are not getting a proper service due to the lack of required vehicles.

The interim government has taken an initiative to purchase 431 vehicles for the police to resolve the crisis. The home ministry has given permission to allocate a grant of nearly Tk 2.75 billion in this regard.

Before that, the Police Headquarters sent a proposal to the home ministry to purchase different types of vehicles.

Sources in the home ministry and the Police Headquarters say a total 455 police vehicles including motorcycles and cars were burnt during the July uprising. A total of 1,074 vehicles were damaged, including those 455 vehicles which were burnt.

In these circumstances, the Police Headquarters sent a proposal to the home ministry for an allocation of Tk 4 billion to purchase 722 vehicles. Later, the ministry granted an allocation of nearly Tk 2.75 billion to purchase 431 vehicles.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Public Security Division joint secretary SM Humayun Kabir Sarker said on Saturday, “The ministry has received a list of damaged vehicles from the Police Headquarters. An allocation was granted after scrutinising the list. Permission to purchase more vehicles will be given later.”

According to the list sent to the ministry, a total of 105 police stations and several other police outposts and establishments were heavily damaged from 1 July to 6 August. Some 455 vehicles were burnt including 13 jeeps, 173 double cabin pick-ups, 56 single cabin pick-ups, 12 patrol cars, 12 microbuses, 2 ambulances, 12 trucks, 2 buses, 2 prison vans, 156 motorcycles, 8 wreckers, 4 APCs (armoured personal carriers), 1 water cannon and 2 crime scene management vans. These vehicles are irreparable.

Police Headquarters sources say, a proposal was sent to the home ministry seeking an allocation of Tk 3,999,350,000 (nearly 4 billion) to purchase a total of 722 vehicles including 38 jeeps, 250 double cabin pick-ups, 56 single cabin pick-ups, 12 patrol cars, 12 microbuses, 2 ambulance, 20 trucks, 2 buses, 12 prison vans, 285 motorcycles, 8 wreckers, 4 APCs and a water cannon to bring the law and order situation under control. The home ministry was requested to seek approval from the finance ministry for this. 

Following that, the ministry gave approval to purchase 431 vehicles, including 30 jeeps, 200 double cabin pick-ups, 8 mircrobuses, 16 trucks, 4 buses, 152 motorcycles, 8 wreckers, 4 APCs, and an air-conditioned dog van.

The ministry sources say more APCs and wreckers will be purchased through international tenders. Prices of each APC and wreckers have been estimated at Tk 60 million and Tk 20 million respectively. Besides, the price of the jeep has been estimated at Tk 17 million, double cabin pick-up 8 million, single cabin pick-up Tk 6.5 million, patrol car Tk 4.8 million, microbus Tk 6 million, motorcycle Tk 350,000 and dog van Tk 7.5 million.