A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking a restructuring of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement in the capital. The petition specifically requests directives for the appointment of two separate police commissioners for the Dhaka North City Corporation and the Dhaka South City Corporation.
The writ was submitted on Thursday (16 April) by Supreme Court Appellate Division lawyer S. M. Zulfikar Ali Juneu. It calls for the reorganisation of the existing police administration framework in Dhaka, which is currently managed under a single metropolitan policing structure.
According to the petition, although the administrative boundaries of Dhaka city are divided into two city corporations—Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation—the entire metropolitan area continues to be policed under a unified command structure led by a single DMP Commissioner. The petition argues that this arrangement concentrates operational authority within one office for the entire capital.
The application further states that rapid urbanisation, a growing population, increased levels of criminal activity, traffic congestion, and broader security challenges have placed significant pressure on the existing structure. It contends that, under these circumstances, the current single-commissioner system is not able to perform its responsibilities effectively.
The writ petition names several respondents, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, and the mayors of both Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation.
The petitioner has sought a range of directions from the High Court, including the division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police into two separate operational units, the appointment of distinct police commissioners for the northern and southern city corporations, the implementation of urgent measures to ensure law and order and public safety, and a declaration that the existing structure is non-functional in its current form.
The key prayers of the petition are summarised below:
| Issue | Relief Sought in the Petition |
|---|---|
| Organisational structure | Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police into two separate units |
| Administrative leadership | Appointment of separate police commissioners for Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations |
| Public safety | Immediate measures to ensure law and order and security |
| Legal status of structure | Declaration of the existing system as non-functional |
The petition emphasises that restructuring the metropolitan policing system in alignment with the administrative division of the city corporations would improve governance efficiency, enhance coordination, and strengthen the overall management of law enforcement operations in the capital.
As of the filing of the petition, no directive or order has been issued by the High Court regarding the matter. The case brings into focus the current administrative arrangement under which the Dhaka Metropolitan Police continues to operate as a single entity despite the city’s bifurcation into two separate municipal corporations.