Serious concerns have emerged in Sandwip, Chattogram, over the reliability of CCTV cameras installed at polling centers to ensure election security. Reports reveal that the cameras, set up at a cost of several crores of taka, lack both power backup and offline storage, rendering them useless during power outages. This has raised fears about potential vote manipulation and transparency issues.

Local residents and security analysts have criticized the setup as fragile and ineffective, describing it as a “digital deception.” Security analyst Rimon Al Fahad called the move a severe administrative failure, warning that cameras without backup in a power-prone area like Sandwip could aid criminal activity. However, Assistant Returning Officer and UNO Mongchingnu Marma assured that uninterrupted power supply would be maintained on election day, guaranteeing full camera functionality.

Members of the monitoring team, speaking anonymously, contradicted the official assurance, citing lack of UPS and budget constraints. Several candidates expressed anger after learning they were not informed about the issue, with some threatening to reject results from centers where cameras fail. The effectiveness of power and CCTV systems on election day remains under close watch.