Law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh’s capital have detained 478 individuals during a sweeping 24-hour security operation. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) confirmed that the arrests took place on Friday, 13 November, following coordinated drives across various police station jurisdictions in the city. Alongside the detentions, officers filed 62 separate cases and seized substantial quantities of narcotics, cash, and explosive remnants.
The operation forms part of the DMP’s routine crime-prevention programme aimed at curbing street crime, drug trafficking, and public disorder across Dhaka’s densely populated neighbourhoods. Policing in the metropolis is organised into eight territorial crime divisions, supported by specialised detective and tactical units that routinely conduct synchronised sweeps to maintain urban security.
Mirpur Division recorded the highest number of detentions during the sweep, accounting for 127 arrests. Wari Division followed with 74 suspects taken into custody, while Tejgaon Division detained 71 individuals. In Lalbagh and Uttara divisions, officers arrested 58 and 51 people respectively. Meanwhile, Motijheel Division recorded 39 arrests, Ramna Division apprehended 29, and Gulshan Division detained 23 suspects. Specialised teams from SRU-1 and the Detective Branch (DB) jointly accounted for an additional five arrests. (Note that the divisional breakdown provided by authorities totals 477 individuals alongside the overall figure of 478).
During the raids, police recovered a wide array of contraband and material evidence. Narcotics formed a significant portion of the haul, including 14 kilograms and 45 grams of cannabis, 1,633 yaba tablets, and 2.5 grams of heroin. Officers also confiscated Tk 47,090 in cash, which authorities identified as proceeds from illegal drug sales.
Beyond narcotics, law enforcement teams seized 17 bicycles, five mobile phones, and three printed pages of screenshots. Crucially, officers also recovered explosive debris from various sites, comprising two exploded smoke-bomb casings and fragments of eight detonated crude bombs, locally referred to as cocktails.
Police headquarters stated that legal proceedings against all detained individuals are currently underway. Suspects are expected to be produced before the relevant metropolitan magistrate courts following standard investigation and documentation procedures.
