Dhaka-Chattogram highway launches 'Auto-Fine' system, cameras to catch extortion
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed inaugurates ‘Auto Fine System’ on Tuesday. Photo: Agamir Somoy.
Traffic violations on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway will now result in automatic fines. A total of 490 AI-powered cameras installed along the highway will carry out this surveillance. This technology will also help detect extortion.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced this today (Tuesday) afternoon during the inauguration of the AI camera-based 'Auto-Fine System' at Meghnaghat in Sonargaon Upazila, Narayanganj. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Highway Police Command and Control Monitoring Center.
The Home Minister stated that from now on, violations such as exceeding the specified speed limit, driving on the wrong side of the road, and risky overtaking, along with other traffic rules violations, will result in automatic fines.
He said, "If anyone, whether from the ownership side, labor federations, or the police, is involved in extortion on the highway, it will be captured on camera. This will make it easy to identify individuals involved in extortion. As a result, I hope such crimes will also decrease. We will be able to stop extortion on the highway with the public's support."
He noted that the Highway Police are implementing a groundbreaking initiative to restore discipline on this highway. A total of 490 AI cameras have already been installed to bring the highway under technology-based surveillance.
The minister informed that fine information will be instantly transferred to the BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Authority) database. Subsequently, an SMS will be sent to the registered owner's mobile phone. The owner can pay the fine online or via mobile phone. In cases of repeated violations, the cancellation of registration will be considered according to existing BRTA laws.
He said, "Highway Police, Bangladesh Police, and social media will conduct extensive campaigns to raise public awareness about this new system. The government hopes this will increase compliance with traffic laws on the roads and reduce accidents."
Presided over by the Additional IGP of Highway Police, Faruk Ahmed, the event was attended by the President of the Bangladesh Road Transport Federation and Member of Parliament Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Member of Parliament for Narayanganj-3 Constituency Azharul Islam Mannan, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Dr. Manzoor Morshed Chowdhury, and IGP of Police Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, among others.
Highway Police sources revealed that this technology-based system has been launched on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, covering approximately 250 kilometers from the Narayanganj Signboard to the Chattogram City Gate.
A total of 1,427 CCTV cameras have been installed on both sides of the highway. These cameras will monitor the movement of vehicles and compliance with traffic laws on the highway. If any vehicle violates traffic laws, the camera will detect it, and an automatic fine mechanism will be triggered.
A central data center has been established at Meghnaghat in Sonargaon to manage this operation. Additionally, monitoring centers have been set up at the Highway Police Headquarters, the Office of the Superintendent of Police for the Highway Police Cumilla Region, the Kanchpur Highway Police Station, the Daudkandi Highway Police Station, and the Baro Aulia Highway Police Station. This will enable centralized monitoring of traffic violations occurring in various parts of the highway and facilitate necessary action.
This initiative has been implemented under the project titled "Enhancing the Capacity of Highway Police." The CCTV surveillance system installation work was carried out by Smart Technologies (BD) Limited. The work began on June 23, 2021, was completed on June 30, 2025, and was handed over on September 29 of the same year.
