A specialised team from the Dhanmondi Police Station came under violent assault on Monday, 11 May, while attempting to apprehend a suspected gang of muggers in the Mohammadpur area of Dhaka. The confrontation, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, escalated when the suspects launched an armed counter-attack against the officers. In the ensuing struggle, the police discharged their firearms in self-defence, resulting in one suspect sustaining a gunshot wound to the foot.
The incident took place in a narrow lane situated behind the Mohammadpur Town Hall at approximately 6:00 am. According to Saddam Hossain, the Assistant Commissioner (AC) of the Dhanmondi Zone, the operation was initiated following a lead discovered during the investigation of a previous robbery case. Acting on specific intelligence regarding the gang’s location, the police team moved to intercept the group, only to be met with immediate physical resistance.
Armed Confrontation and Police Response
As the officers closed in on the suspects, the gang reportedly attempted to overwhelm the police using an array of sharp weapons, including Chinese axes, machetes, and knives. Faced with a direct threat to their lives, the police were compelled to use force to neutralise the attackers.
Detailed accounts from the police reveal that an officer discharged four rounds from a service pistol as a defensive measure. Initially, two blank rounds were fired into the air as a warning to deter the assailants. However, the suspects allegedly continued their advance, prompting the officer to fire toward the lower extremities of one individual. The suspect, identified as Sakib, was struck in the toe.
Following the skirmish, Sakib was taken into custody and transported to the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, where he remains under medical supervision and police guard. Several police officers involved in the operation also sustained minor injuries during the struggle; they were provided with primary medical treatment at a local hospital and subsequently discharged.
Arrests and Seizure of Contraband
In addition to the wounded suspect, the police successfully apprehended two other members of the criminal gang at the scene. The detainees have been identified as Palash and Biplab. During the subsequent search of the area and the suspects’ person, law enforcement officials recovered a significant cache of weapons used in their criminal activities. The seized items included:
A Chinese axe
A machete (locally known as a chapaati)
A knife
A toy revolver (frequently used to intimidate victims)
The Dhanmondi Zone police have confirmed that this particular gang had been under surveillance for some time. Investigative findings suggest that the group operated as a mobile robbery unit, utilising motorcycles to traverse Dhanmondi and neighbouring residential areas. Their modus operandi involved cornering pedestrians or commuters at knife-point—or using the toy revolver to simulate a lethal threat—before dispossessing them of valuables.
Legal Proceedings and Sector Vigilance
This operation is part of a broader crackdown on street crime and organised robbery in the capital, particularly in the Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi jurisdictions, which have seen a rise in “hit-and-run” muggings. Assistant Commissioner Saddam Hossain reiterated that the police are maintaining a policy of heightened vigilance to disrupt the networks of such “bikers’ gangs” that exploit early morning and late-night hours when foot traffic is low.
A formal case regarding the attack on the police and the possession of illegal weapons is currently being filed at the relevant police station. The two apprehended suspects, Palash and Biplab, are expected to be produced before the court following preliminary interrogation, while Sakib will face legal proceedings once he is deemed medically fit by hospital authorities. The police intend to seek remand for the suspects to ascertain if they are linked to other unsolved robbery cases in the metropolitan area.