Police see no specific security threat surrounding the founding anniversary of the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned. However, law enforcement agencies remain on alert.
The remarks were made this morning by SN Nazrul Islam, Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), during a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road in the capital.
The briefing was organised to provide details about the arrest of alleged top criminal “Sajal” and three of his associates, as well as the recovery of firearms, ammunition, and narcotics during operations conducted by Jatrabari police.
The Awami League’s founding anniversary falls on 23 June. Responding to a question on the issue, Nazrul Islam said, “Various programmes take place throughout the year. The major event ahead of us is the observance of 10 Muharram, or Ashura. At the same time, 23 June marks the founding anniversary of a political party. We are maintaining the highest level of vigilance. Checkpoints, patrols, special operations, and all necessary security measures to ensure public safety are in place and will continue.”
During the briefing, the additional commissioner said that on 2 March, four unidentified assailants shot at an officer of the Department of Narcotics Control during an anti-drug operation and fled the scene. A regular case was subsequently filed with Wari Police Station.
Police later arrested three individuals in connection with the incident and recovered three firearms from their possession. The suspects gave confessional statements before a court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, stating that Sajal, also known as “Auto Sajal,” an alleged top criminal and a key figure in the illegal arms and drug trade in the Wari Division, had supplied the weapons.
Police said that acting on intelligence information, officers from Jatrabari Police Station arrested Auto Sajal at 9:10 p.m. on Thursday.
Nazrul Islam said that during interrogation, Sajal disclosed that a large cache of weapons and narcotics was being kept at a rented apartment in the Swamibagh area. Police subsequently raided the residence and arrested three more associates.
The operation led to the recovery of two pistols, four magazines, 77 rounds of live ammunition, 59 grams of heroin, 27 grams of heroin-processing materials, Tk 22,960 believed to be proceeds from drug sales, and four mobile phones allegedly used in criminal activities.
The four arrested individuals are Sajal alias Auto Sajal (31), Md. Bappi (28), Md. Hanif (40), and Shamsun Nahar (45).
Two separate cases have been filed against them under the Arms Act and the Narcotics Control Act. Police said that a total of five firearms have so far been recovered in connection with the attack on narcotics control officials.
Asked whether the recovered weapons were among firearms looted from police during last year’s unrest, the additional commissioner said, “We have not yet been able to confirm whether the recovered weapons are among those looted from police. They will be sent to our arms division, where records will be checked to determine from which police station or area they may have gone missing.”
Responding to a question about why police have increasingly become targets of attacks in various incidents, Nazrul Islam said, “I do not want to comment on the past.
However, since 5 August, we have been working to bring the police force back to a more stable and streamlined condition after the fragile situation it was in, and that effort continues.”
Asked about allegations that extortionist Faruk of Mohammadpur resumed extortion activities after securing bail, the DMP official said, “The police’s responsibility is to arrest offenders, collect evidence against them, and present that evidence before the court. What happens afterward falls within the jurisdiction of lawyers, prosecutors, and the judiciary. Decisions on bail and punishment are matters for the courts.”