The number of CCTV users is increasing day by day in the capital Dhaka due to rising awareness about security issues among the city dwellers, according to CCTV traders. CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) is a self-contained surveillance system comprising cameras, recorders and displays for monitoring activities in any place-- office, store, institution, company etc.
People are seen buying CCTV cameras for their home security from the shops and major IT centres in the capital. In the city areas, more and more families leave their respective residences keeping those empty without security during daytime for jobs. Taking this advantage, thieves and robbers engage in theft. Small families in urban areas have to rely on the gatemen for home security.
CCTV provides more security than a lock or two guards. And that's why the demand for CCTV in the country has increased a lot in the last few years, according to traders concerned. Abul Hasan, a retail CCTV seller at Elephant Road said, “We were getting customers to sell 20-30 CCTV cameras per month. From the beginning of this year it has become almost double.”
Earlier, mostly businesspersons and shop owners used to buy it from us but now it has become common to install CCTV cameras for home security, he added.
Another trader Pavel Rahman said, “Nowadays, it’s not a luxury to install CCTV cameras at home. As the ratio of crime has increased, maybe that’s why people are buying cameras in increasing numbers.”
Former criminology teacher at the University of Dhaka BM Nasirullah Khan said, “It can act as a fruitful deterrent to criminals, especially when it comes in place of pre-planned crimes.” At the same time, this security device helps keep belongings secure and increase the safety of family, he added. There are ten different types of CCTV cameras available in the local markets. These are Dome Camera, Bullet Camera, C-Mount Camera, Day/Night CCTV Camera, Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) Camera, High Definition CCTV Camera, Infrared/Night Vision CCTV Camera, Network and IP CCTV Camera.
Sets of four or eight cameras of Panasonic, Bose, Lillin and Dahua brands are available in the local markets. The demand for domes and bullet cameras is high.
Dome cameras are usually installed at the archways or where people travel. Besides this, there is a bullet camera suitable for the wall. The prices of cameras range from Tk 2 thousand to 2 lakh. The function of each camera is different. Usually four cameras and eight cameras are being setup as a system. CCTV and IPTV - two types of cameras, are of different qualities and available for varied prices.