The government on Tuesday decided to purchase 17,050 shotguns and enhance public awareness programmes ahead of the next national election slated for February 2026.

The decisions were made at two separate meetings of the advisory council committee on government purchase and the advisory council committee on economic affairs, presided over by finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed at the secretariat in the capital Dhaka.

The meeting of the advisory council committee on government purchase reviewed the proposal to buy 40,000 body cameras, which is also linked to the next national election, and asked the home ministry to rationalise the number.

While disclosing the decisions, the finance adviser in response to a reporter’s question said that the International Monetary Fund expressed satisfaction over the country’s reform programme.

His views came five days after an IMF mission in the capital observed that low revenue income, elevated inflation and financial vulnerabilities were main concerns for the economy.

The finance adviser said that the revised plan on purchasing body cameras for the police should adopt a more rational, need-based approach.

Saying that the purpose of introducing body cameras was to strengthen monitoring, improve accountability and support evidence-based action, he suggested that body cameras be used in particularly sensitive and critical areas, not everywhere.

On September 23, the advisory council committee on economic affairs at a meeting agreed in principle to buy 40,000 body cameras.

The cameras are to be procured through the United Nations Development Programme to avoid controversies over quality and pricing.

The finance adviser said that they were going to buy 17,050 shotguns to replace the old ones used by members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party.

Without disclosing the prices of the shotguns and the supplier, he said that the prices were very reasonable.

Officials attending the meeting said that the price of each shotgun would be $146, equivalent to Tk 20,893.

On September 9, the decision of buying the shotguns was made by the advisory council committee on economic affairs.

A Turkey-based company will supply the shotguns after it won an international tender floated by the home ministry.

The advisory council committee on economic affairs at Tuesday’s meeting also agreed in principle to create and broadcast documentaries under the direct purchase method as part of running awareness programmes to make the forthcoming parliamentary elections successful.