Police arrested 419 people during operations across Dhaka over a 24-hour period, with the highest number of arrests recorded in the Mirpur division, where 96 people were detained.
Niaz Mehdi, additional deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), disclosed the figures on Monday (3 August). He said the arrests were made during separate operations conducted in areas under various police divisions and in locations surrounding police stations across the capital.
According to the DMP, the Ramna division arrested 28 people, while Lalbagh accounted for 43 arrests. A further 46 people were detained by the Wari division, 39 by Motijheel, 66 by Tejgaon, 96 by Mirpur, 48 by Gulshan and 44 by Uttara. The Detective Branch arrested another nine people.
Police also recovered a range of items during the operations, including 21 mobile phones, 14 laptops, 28 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) machines and 4,846 SIM cards belonging to various operators. Other seized equipment included electrical devices, 52 cable connectors, 16 data connector machines, one power supply unit, one closed-circuit television camera and 12 laptop chargers.
The operations also led to the seizure of suspected illegal drugs and other items. Police recovered 26 bottles of foreign liquor, 14 kilogrammes of cannabis, 914 yaba tablets and 350.8 grammes of heroin. Officers also seized a private car and Tk 209,700 in cash.
The recovery of thousands of SIM cards and VoIP equipment is particularly significant because such devices can be used in telecommunications-related offences, although the precise nature of their alleged use in this case will have to be established through investigation. Police have not provided further details about the individual cases or the specific allegations against those arrested.
Niaz Mehdi said the arrests were made during operations carried out in different parts of the capital, including areas adjoining police stations. The operations were conducted as part of efforts to tackle crime and seize illegal drugs and other suspected evidence, he said.
The DMP official added that legal proceedings against the arrested individuals were under way. The seized items have also been taken into police custody as part of the ongoing investigations.
Authorities are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding each arrest and determine the alleged involvement of the individuals in the respective cases. Further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the investigations and applicable law.
