For Bangladeshis, a deep-seated trust deficit has long characterized their relationship with law enforcement. For good reason as well; allegations of extortion, politicization, and heavy-handedness have eroded public confidence, making the police a source of fear for many rather than a pillar of security that it is supposed to be.

It is against this bleak backdrop that the government’s approval to procure 40,000 body cameras for the upcoming national election must be viewed -- while this is a welcome step, to treat it as a one-off measure for poll-time alone would be a profound missed opportunity. If the goal is truly to bridge the chasm of distrust, then the use of body-worn cameras must not begin and end with the election; it must become a mandatory feature of everyday policing.

The issues of trust deficit are not confined to election day. They are woven into the fabric of daily interactions, from routine checkpoints to the handling of complaints and arrests. A body camera acts as an impartial witness, protecting both the citizen from potential abuse of power and the police officer from false accusations.

However, technology alone is not a panacea, as a camera can be switched off and recorded footage can be doctored. For such measures to have a lasting impact, they must be embedded within a robust framework of institutional reform -- the most critical of which is the establishment of a truly independent and empowered police commission.

The current structure of police administration remains steeped in colonial-era provisions, leaving the body vulnerable to political influence and patronage. An independent commission -- isolated from the executive branch -- would provide a credible external mechanism to investigate allegations of misconduct, ensuring that the accountability captured on camera leads to meaningful consequences.

The everyday adoption of body cameras for our police officers can be harnessed as the symbol for a new era of law enforcement -- one that prioritizes the safety and security of the public in the most transparent manner possible.