Bangladesh restores khaki pants to police uniform after two decades

The dress code for APBn, SPBn, SB, CID and RAB will remain unchanged

Seven months after a uniform overhaul, the dress code of Bangladesh Police has seen fresh change as the government has reinstated the use of khaki pants for the first time since 2004.

Announcing the decision on Thursday, the home ministry also brought back “light olive” and “dark blue” shirts for the law-enforcing agency.

Amid measures for “police reforms” after the July Uprising, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government replaced the long-standing blue-and-green colour scheme on a limited scale with an “iron grey” design for range and metropolitan police personnel Nov 15, 2025.

But two months later, it decided to change the uniforms for police, the Rapid Action Battalion, and the Bangladesh Ansar following widespread criticism for force’s handling of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement before the 2024 changeover in power.

Within a week of the BNP government taking office, the Bangladesh Police Service Association demanded a reversal of the police uniform, saying most officers opposed the change and were not consulted before the decision was made.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced plans for yet another police uniform overhaul on May 4.

Now the latest change comes as the inspector general of police (IGP) amended the Police Dress Rules, 2025.

According to the latest overhaul, the shirts for district police and other units will be dark blue while all metropolitan police units are instructed to wear light olive shirts.

But the pants across all police units will be khaki.

However, the existing dress code for Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Special Security and Protection Battalion (SPBn), Special Branch (SB), CID and RAB will remain unchanged.

Khaki has long been associated with law enforcement in the Indian subcontinent, a legacy of British-era military attire.

The return marks a reversal of multiple changes introduced over the past two decades.

In 2004, during a BNP-led government, the uniform was first altered. Metropolitan police then wore dark blue shirts with khaki trousers, while other units used full khaki.

Later, metropolitan forces adopted light olive shirts with dark blue trousers, and other units switched to deep grey shirts with dark blue trousers.

A further revision was made in November last year.

However, discussions over another change resurfaced after political shifts, with police reportedly pushing for redesigns.

Officials also noted that Tk 760 million has already been spent on uniform changes during the interim period, raising questions over cost amid economic strain.