The Bangladesh Police Service Association has requested a reconsideration of the decision to change the police uniform.
The matter was disclosed in a statement signed on Monday by the association’s General Secretary and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Cumilla district, Md Anisuzzaman.
According to the statement, the new uniform selected for Bangladesh Police by the interim government overlooks factors such as the skin tone of police personnel, weather conditions, and the opinions of members of the force. It said the uniform was chosen without any public consultation and bears a close resemblance to the attire of other uniformed agencies. As a result, it has become difficult to identify police personnel in the field, according to opinions gathered from members. The association said the issue has come to its attention and that the majority of force members do not support the hurriedly adopted change.
Highlighting the historical background of the police uniform, the statement said the previous uniform was changed in 2003–2004 by the then government following extensive scrutiny by a committee. At that time, factors such as weather conditions, visibility during day and night duties, the skin tone of personnel, and the need to avoid similarity with other forces were carefully considered.
Expressing deep concern, the association stated that most members of the force are not in favour of the sudden change. Instead, they regard the existing uniform as a long-standing symbol of the tradition, discipline, and professionalism of Bangladesh Police.
Referring to the recent election, the statement noted that during the 13th National Parliamentary Election held on February 12, nearly all members of Bangladesh Police performed their duties with the highest level of professionalism while wearing the current uniform, helping to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election. Their role was praised both at home and abroad, it added.
The statement further said that changing the uniform is a costly process that could place additional financial pressure on the country amid the current economic situation. The association believes that such a significant amount of money would be better spent modernising the force and enhancing its operational capacity rather than producing new uniforms. It emphasised that improving the mindset, morale, and professionalism of police personnel is more important at present than changing the colour or design of the uniform.
Notably, the new uniform, introduced on a limited scale from November 15, 2025, replaced the long-standing blue-and-green color scheme with an “iron grey” design for range and metropolitan police personnel.