24-Hour Dhaka Police Drive Leads to 446 Arrests

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested 446 people in a 24-hour operation across the capital, as part of a series of regular law-enforcement drives targeting suspected criminal activities and alleged offences.

The operation was conducted from midnight on Tuesday to midnight on Wednesday, according to DMP information. During the period, police filed 56 cases over various allegations. The arrests and seizures reflect continued efforts by law-enforcement agencies to curb crime, drug-related offences and other illegal activities in different parts of Dhaka.

The highest number of arrests was recorded by the Wari division, which detained 104 people during the operation. The Mirpur division followed with 83 arrests, while 74 people were arrested by the Tejgaon division.

The Motijheel division arrested 49 people, while both the Lalbagh and Gulshan divisions reported 38 arrests each. The Uttara division arrested 35 people, followed by the Ramna division with 21. The Detective Branch (DB) made four arrests during the same period.

According to the DMP, officers also recovered a range of suspected illegal items and other materials during the operation. These included one foreign-made pistol along with a magazine, 3,755 yaba tablets, more than nine kilograms of cannabis and seven grams of heroin.

Police also seized a knife, five mobile phones, one microbus and one motorcycle in connection with the operation.

The arrests were carried out across several police divisions of the capital, indicating the scale of the coordinated drive. Dhaka, as the country’s largest metropolitan area, routinely sees police operations aimed at preventing crimes ranging from drug trafficking and possession to robbery, violence and other offences.

The DMP regularly conducts such operations as part of its broader crime-control activities. Depending on the nature of allegations and evidence collected during investigations, those arrested may face further legal proceedings under the relevant laws.

The latest operation also highlights the continuing challenge posed by illegal drugs in the capital. The seizure of thousands of yaba tablets, along with cannabis and heroin, suggests that narcotics remain a significant focus of police enforcement efforts.

However, the arrested individuals’ legal status will ultimately depend on investigations and judicial proceedings. Arrests made during police operations do not, by themselves, establish guilt, and allegations against suspects are subject to due legal process.

The DMP said the regular drives would continue as part of its efforts to maintain public safety and strengthen law and order across the capital.