Dhaka Police Arrest 485 in 24-Hour Crackdown

Police in Dhaka arrested 485 people during routine operations across the capital over a 24-hour period, according to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). A total of 50 cases were filed during the same period as part of the enforcement drive.

Niaz Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, confirmed the figures on Saturday (8 August).

He said police teams conducted operations across different police station areas in the capital, leading to the arrests and the recovery of various items of evidence and illegal drugs. The operations were carried out as part of the DMP’s regular efforts to tackle crime and maintain public order in the city.

The Mirpur division recorded the highest number of arrests, with 125 people detained. Tejgaon followed with 77 arrests, while both Motijheel and Gulshan divisions reported 57 arrests each. Police in Uttara arrested 49 people, while the Wari division accounted for 46.

In the remaining areas, 34 people were arrested in Lalbagh, 31 in Ramna and nine by the Detective Branch.

During the operations, police recovered 4,295 yaba tablets and 610 grams of cannabis. Officers also seized eight mobile phones, Tk 124,000 in cash, three knives, three iron pipes, one cutter and one iron sheet.

The recovery of narcotics formed a significant part of the operation, with the quantity of yaba and cannabis seized indicating that drug-related offences were among the matters addressed by police during the drive. The other seized items have also been recorded as evidence in connection with the cases.

Dhaka, one of the country’s most densely populated urban centres, regularly sees police operations targeting suspected criminal activity, narcotics offences and other violations of the law. Such drives are conducted through individual police stations as well as specialised units, including the Detective Branch.

According to the DMP, the 50 cases filed during the latest 24-hour period relate to offences identified during the operations. The arrested individuals will face further legal procedures in accordance with the relevant laws.

Police said the process of taking legal action against those arrested is under way. Their alleged involvement in the respective cases will be examined as part of the investigation, while the recovered items will be dealt with according to established legal procedures.

The latest figures provide a snapshot of the scale of police activity across Dhaka during the period, with arrests reported from all major DMP divisions as well as the Detective Branch.