Police Rule Out Links Between Recent Metro Rail Security Scares and Prior Bomb Discovery
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The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has stated that the discovery of suspicious objects at the Mirpur-10 and Farmgate metro stations on Saturday is unrelated to the improvised explosive device (IED) recovered from the Motijheel metro station last month. Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit Additional Commissioner Mohammad Shamsul Haque clarified the findings during a press briefing at the DMP Media Center, urging the public to remain calm.
Security personnel were alerted earlier on Saturday after a suspicious bag was discovered on the second floor of the Mirpur-10 metro station, while a suspicious sack was found near a pillar on the ground floor of the Farmgate station. The incidents prompted authorities to temporarily suspend operations at the Mirpur-10 station as a precautionary measure. However, subsequent inspections by the police bomb disposal unit confirmed that neither package contained explosives; the Mirpur bag contained items such as betel nut and tobacco containers, while the Farmgate sack was found to contain only garbage.
This discovery followed an earlier security breach on July 25, when police recovered an IED hidden inside an umbrella at the Motijheel metro station. The device, which was later neutralized by the bomb disposal unit, detonated during the disposal process, causing an injury to a bystander due to shrapnel. That incident triggered significant public concern regarding safety within the city’s transit infrastructure.
Addressing questions regarding security lapses and public anxiety, Commissioner Haque emphasized that investigations into the individuals responsible for placing the objects are currently underway. He noted that authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and other intelligence leads to identify those involved. He dismissed concerns that the recent incidents point to a systemic failure or intelligence gaps, asserting that the CTTC continues to maintain rigorous social media monitoring and active field intelligence operations.
Regarding the ongoing investigation into the July 25 Motijheel explosion, the CTTC official confirmed that departmental efforts, alongside the Detective Branch (DB) and local police divisions, are coordinated and ongoing. He reiterated that there is no evidence linking the recent false alarms to the earlier IED incident. When pressed on the status of escaped militants and broader counter-terrorism efforts, Haque maintained that the department remains fully operational and that systematic efforts to track and apprehend suspects are continuing without interruption.
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