DMP Arrests 511 in 24-Hour Capital-Wide Operation

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 511 people during its regular law-enforcement operations across the capital over a 24-hour period, while 49 cases were filed against those detained, police said on Sunday.

The information was disclosed on 16 August by Niaz Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division. The arrests were made during operations conducted in different areas under the jurisdiction of the capital’s police stations, with officers also recovering firearms, ammunition, narcotics and other items allegedly connected with criminal activities.

According to the DMP, the highest number of arrests was recorded by the Mirpur division, which detained 126 people. The Tejgaon division made 72 arrests, while Uttara recorded 67 and Motijheel 62. The Wari division arrested 51 people, followed by Gulshan with 50, Ramna with 39, Lalbagh with 33 and the Detective Branch with 11.

The operation also resulted in the recovery of two foreign-made pistols, three magazines and 15 rounds of ammunition. Police said a substantial quantity of suspected narcotics was seized, including 1,403 yaba tablets, 98 kilograms and 565 grams of cannabis, one gram of heroin and four bottles of foreign liquor.

Officers also recovered a computer, six mobile phones, 80 SIM cards belonging to different operators and seven bank ATM cards during the operations. Police said these items were among the various pieces of evidence and materials seized from different locations.

The scale of the operation reflects the DMP’s continuing efforts to tackle street-level crime, illegal firearms and drug-related activities across Dhaka. Regular police operations in the capital typically involve searches and arrests based on information gathered by local police units and the Detective Branch.

The DMP has not provided a separate breakdown of the 49 cases according to the specific offences involved. The recovered weapons and narcotics, however, indicate that the cases may involve a range of alleged offences under existing laws relating to firearms, drugs and other criminal activities.

Police said legal proceedings against those arrested are under way. The detainees will be dealt with according to the relevant laws, while the recovered materials are expected to be examined as part of the investigation process.

The DMP operates through several specialised and geographical divisions across Dhaka. Such coordinated operations are intended to strengthen policing in densely populated areas, disrupt criminal networks and improve public safety through the identification and detention of suspects involved in unlawful activities.