Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) and Bangladesh Police inaugurated a modern Cyber Police Centre at Dampara Police Lines in Chattogram today (14 October) to strengthen cybercrime investigations and digital forensic capabilities.
The centre was built for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the project "Safer Cyberspace for Digital Bangladesh: Developing National and Regional Cyber Investigation and Digital Forensics Facilities for Bangladesh Police", supported by Koica, according to the press release.
Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmad MP attended as the chief guest, while Kim Ji-joon, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, attended as the guest of honour.
Special guests included Jihoon Kim, country director of Koica's Bangladesh Office; Monjur Morshed Chowdhury; Md Ali Hossain Fakir BPM, inspector general of police; and Sayeed Al Noman MP, representing Chattogram-10. Barrister Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, additional inspector general of police and chief of CID, chaired the programme.
Spanning approximately 1,640 square metres, the four-storey building has been designed for regional cyber investigations and digital forensic operations. It complements CID's central capabilities in Dhaka and provides operational support to investigators across Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.
Online fraud, hacked accounts and threats sent from behind a screen leave digital trails. The new facility provides investigators with a dedicated space to examine those trails and turn their findings into evidence.
Inaugurating the centre, Salahuddin Ahmad described Koica as one of Bangladesh's largest development partners and requested its support and cooperation in establishing similar cyber police centres in other divisions.
Ambassador Kim Ji-joon emphasised that digital transformation must be supported by robust cybersecurity. He described the centre as a significant milestone in Korea–Bangladesh development cooperation, equipping local law enforcement with advanced digital forensic capabilities to combat emerging cyber threats.
"Investment depends on confidence, and confidence depends on security," he said. "The Cyber Police Centre is a concrete response to that need, and I am pleased that it now stands here in Chattogram, close to the businesses, workers and communities of this region."
Jihoon Kim said the project's success would depend on how effectively the centre was used.
"The value of this centre will be measured by the cases it helps to solve, the victims it helps to protect, and the officers it helps to develop," he said, adding that Koica would continue supporting the project through its completion later this year.
The project was launched through a Record of Discussion signed in January 2021, with Koica committing grant assistance of up to $4.8 million.
It aims to strengthen CID's digital investigation capabilities and promote evidence-based policing through digital forensics and competency-based human resource management.
Alongside constructing 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.
Human capacity development remains a core component of the initiative. Korean experts worked with CID officers on investigation consultation, human resource strategy, training curricula and workshops in Bangladesh.
In addition, 78 Bangladesh Police officers completed eight specialised courses in Korea. These covered cyber strategic leadership, digital investigation management, training of trainers, hacking and network forensics, malware analysis, open-source intelligence, and advanced computer and mobile forensics.
Established in 1991, Koica supports the economic and social development of developing countries as Korea's development cooperation organisation.
Its activities include bilateral country projects and development consulting, overseas volunteer and fellowship programmes, multilateral cooperation with international organisations, public-private partnerships, development innovation programmes, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Koica also manages the Global Disease Eradication Fund.