Police return to new uniform

Police are now carrying out their duties in a new uniform consisting of dark blue and light olive-colored shirts and khaki pants. Police officers were seen performing duties in the new uniform starting Wednesday.

As part of Bangladesh Police reforms, the uniform was changed right after the August 5 mass uprising. However, after the BNP government came to power, a decision was made to change it again.

Additional Inspector General of Police (Crime and Operations) at Police Headquarters, Khondaker Rafiqul, said that police members have been wearing the new uniform since Wednesday. Not all police members have received the new uniform yet; they will get it gradually.

Those who have received it are performing duties in the new attire. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fakir, who inaugurated the newly built “Barkau Police Camp” to strengthen law and order in the Purbachal New Town Project run by the Capital Development Authority (RAJUK), was seen at the event wearing a dark blue shirt and khaki pants, while Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Musleh Uddin Ahmed was seen wearing a light olive-colored shirt and khaki pants.

After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, during the July mass uprising, demands arose for police reform, including a change of police uniform. At a meeting of the advisory council committee on law and order on January 20 of last year, the decision was made to change the police uniform.

According to that decision, the shirt color was changed to iron or iron-grey, and the pants to coffee shell or coffee-brown grey. Police took to the field in the new uniform on November 25 of last year.

However, that uniform drew mixed reactions even among field-level police members, many of whom could not accept the change. Questions were raised in various quarters regarding the uniform’s color.

After the BNP government came to power, demands to change the police uniform grew stronger. On June 18, Police Headquarters issued a notification changing the uniform color.

The notification also brought changes to the color-related provisions for jerseys, cardigans, pullovers, jackets, women’s clothing, headwear, and full-sleeve garments, in addition to shirts and pants.

The new notification states that previously, iron-grey full-sleeve jerseys, cardigans, or pullovers were to be worn over iron-grey shirts. Under the new provision, dark blue full-sleeve jerseys, cardigans, or pullovers will instead be worn over blue shirts.

According to the notification, for units other than district police, APBN, SPBN, SB, CID, and RAB, trousers will be made of khaki-colored TC twill fabric, and shirts will be made of dark blue TC plain fabric. The shirt will have four front pockets, with seven evenly spaced buttons on the front.

The notification also details women police uniforms. Women police officers may wear sarees if they wish. For district police and other units, a dark blue saree may be worn with a dark blue blouse. For metropolitan police, a dark blue saree with a light olive-colored blouse has been specified.

The notification further states that women police members may use headwear if they wish. Women police members working in traffic units may wear full-sleeve shirts or blouses throughout the year. During pregnancy, with prior approval from the relevant unit head, women police members may wear regular clothing.

The notification also specifies shirt types according to season-half-sleeve shirts in summer and full-sleeve shirts in winter. Regarding headwear, it states that it will be in the approved dark blue color.