Crime is increasing in Dhaka Police station, surveillance, where is the new police station
Photo Collected
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has taken various steps to increase the range of police presence and surveillance to curb crime amid public concern over one after another murders, terrorism, robbery and extortion incidents in the capital.
As a part of this initiative has been taken to open three police stations in the capital. The proposal in this regard is awaiting final approval. One more police station and two outposts are being proposed.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Along with the raid on the list of extortionists and terrorists, the whole city has also been started under CCTV cameras. At the same time, initiatives have been taken to strengthen technology-based policing to fight crime through Hello DMP app, citizen database, hotel boarder information system and cyber support center.
DMP officials say that these initiatives are being taken considering the rapidly changing population of Dhaka, new residential areas, crime-prone areas bordering the metropolis and the current manpower pressure of the police. With new police stations and outposts, it will be easier to increase patrolling, set up check posts, send police quickly to crime-prone areas and provide citizen services.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Several recent incidents of murders, shootings, robberies, extortion and terrorist activities in the capital have given rise to widespread discussion. These incidents created panic in the public mind.
Last April 28, after the evening on the west side of Newmarket, in front of the Shahnewaz dormitory of Dhaka University, top terrorist Khandkar Naeem Ahmed Titon was shot dead. The police suspect another top terrorist who has been discussed recently in this murder. In a separate incident last month, two more were killed in Mohammadpur due to internal conflicts between terrorist groups.
Apart from this, after the videos of a few robberies were spread on social media, public panic increased.
According to the data of the police headquarters, 57 cases of murder have been reported in Dhaka city in these three months from February to April this year. Apart from this, 72 cases of banditry, 19 cases of robbery, 11 cases of robbery, 53 cases of kidnapping, 431 cases of theft, 18 cases of assault on police and 375 cases of rape and suppression of violence against women and children have been registered.
In this context, DMP has started a special operation from May 1 to list extortionists and terrorists in the capital. In the week to May 7, 893 people were arrested. The DMP said the arrested included extortionists, thieves, robbers and drug dealers who were recently registered by the police.
Acting Commissioner of DMP. Sarwar told Prothom Alo that as part of improving the law and order situation across the country, a strict stand has been taken against extortionists, armed terrorists, drug dealers and online gambling gangs. The operation has been intensified to provide relief to the city dwellers and keep the metropolis safe by rooting out the criminals.
Home Ministry and DMP sources said that the proposed names of three new police stations in the capital are Rayerbazar, Bashundhara and Dakshingaon. If the new three police stations are opened, the total number of police stations in DMP will be 53. A long time ago, the DMP sent the proposal for a new police station to the Ministry of Home Affairs through the police headquarters. After the issue has been pending for a long time, now initiatives have been taken to implement it. The proposal will be taken up in the next meeting of the secretary committee regarding establishment of upazila and thana. Home Ministry sources said, the new police stations are now awaiting final approval.
According to the proposal, a part of Mohammadpur police station will be Rayerbazar police station. Bashundhara police station is to be formed from parts of Khilkhet, Badda and Bhatara police stations and Dakshingaon police station from Sabujbagh and Khilgaon police stations. However, there is some disagreement about the naming of Bashundhara police station. It is known from the related sources that there is an opportunity to change the name before the approval.
A manpower of 119 under the command of an officer-in-charge has been sought for each new police station. This will include 3 inspectors, 43 sub-inspectors, 35 assistant sub-inspectors and 46 constables.
DMP officials say that the opening of the new police stations will reduce the pressure on large police stations and increase police activity in crime-prone areas.
According to DMP headquarters sources, population pressure has increased in the last few years in Mohammadpur, Bachila, Geneva camp-adjacent areas, Khilkhet, Bashundhara, Khilgaon, Rampura and Sabujbagh areas. As new housing projects, multi-storied buildings and commercial activities have increased in these areas, the pattern of crime has also changed. Police officials believe that drug, robbery, extortion and organized crime are more common in Rayerbazar, Bachila and Geneva camp-adjacent areas.
According to DMP’s proposal, Mohammadpur, Khilkhet, Badda, Bhatara, Sabujbagh and Khilgaon—these six police stations are located in the border areas of Dhaka metropolis. Next to these areas are the borders of Keraniganj, Rupganj and Narayanganj. As a result, criminals can easily enter the capital and commit crimes and go out again. In addition, the police of these police stations have to perform the duties of meetings, processions, VIP security, law and order situation control and accident prevention. This has made it difficult to effectively manage crime and public safety in large areas.
Apart from the new three police stations, DMP is also preparing a proposal to make one more police station called Bachhila with a part of Mohammadpur. At the same time two new police outposts have been started in Beraid of Badda and Ghuntighar area of Gandaria. Currently there are 57 police stations in DMP. If two new outposts are opened, the number of outposts will be 59.
According to DMP headquarters sources, the location of some existing outposts is also being changed to increase police presence in crime-prone areas. For example, the Khilkhet police outpost near the Khilkhet police station has been moved to the police housing area near the 300 feet road adjacent to Purbachal.
DMP officials say patrolling and preventive policing will be effective if the outposts are located in crime-prone and rapidly expanding areas instead of close to police stations.
The DMP has asked for 4,000 more policemen to control crime. At present there are about 33 thousand policemen in DMP. According to DMP officials, the current manpower is not enough to deal with the capital’s size, population, traffic congestion, political agenda, new forms of crime and technology-based crime.
Along with new police stations and outposts, technology-based surveillance is also being increased. According to DMP sources, a plan has been taken to bring the entire Dhaka city under 11,000 CCTV cameras. In this, DMP has installed more than seven hundred CCTV cameras in different areas of the capital. Installation of 700 CCTV cameras is underway in Mohammadpur, known as a crime-prone area. In Gulshan, the association of home owners called Gulshan Society has already installed around 1,300 CCTV cameras.
DMP Commissioner. Sarwar said that crime is relatively low in Gulshan as there are more CCTV cameras. If entire Dhaka is covered by CCTV cameras, it will be easy to identify the criminals and will also reduce the courage to commit crimes. According to him, strengthening technology-based policing is now an important part of crime prevention.
DMP has already launched software, Hello DMP App and Hotel Boarder Information System to collect citizen data. Officials say that if the information of the people staying in the hotel is known through the software, no one from outside will be able to hide in the hotel by committing a crime.
Apart from this, Cyber Support Center has been launched in the Intelligence Department of DMP to provide assistance to the victims of cyber crime.
A government order has already been issued to bring Purbachal new town under DMP as well. DMP has sent a proposal seeking manpower for opening 4 police stations, 6 outposts and 41 police boxes. The proposal is now awaiting the Home Ministry’s approval. According to DMP sources, 30 acres of land has been allotted for police establishment in Purbachal. About six and a half thousand manpower will be required to start full-fledged police operations there.
Many owners who get plots in Purbachale want to build houses there. However, they are concerned about security as police stations, outposts and police boxes are not operational. DMP officials say that regular patrolling will begin in Purbachal after receiving the government order. Later, once the manpower and establishment are approved, full-fledged police operations will be launched there.
Police officials say the pattern of crime in the capital has changed. It is difficult to handle the situation with traditional police station based policing alone. Hence, increasing the number of police stations, increased police presence in crime-prone areas, technology-based surveillance, list-based operations and increased manpower—all are taking a concerted initiative. However, how effective these initiatives will be in crime control will depend on the quick response, accountability and continuous operations of the police at the field level.
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