United News of Bangladesh

A total of 743 people were arrested across the country as part of the ongoing Operation Devil Hunt in 24 hours till Thursday afternoon, according to the police headquarters. Besides, 914 others were arrested in connection with various warrants and ongoing cases during the same period in countrywide drives conducted by local police. 589 arrested in Operation Devil Hunt across country During this period, the joint forces also recovered one cartridge, one shutter gun and two sharp weapons.   Launched on the night of February 9, Operation Devil Hunt is aimed at curbing unrest and ensuring public safety across the country.  

Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) has insisted the law and order situation is improving, and vowed to keep improving it by taking everyone along. He said this at an emergency 3am press briefing at his residence on Monday (Feb. 24), called following a day of harrowing incidents in the capital in particular, including the armed robbery of a gold jeweller in Banasree. The adviser maintained his general view that the spike in crime could be traced to the desperation of the Awami League to give the interim government a difficult time, and return to power at the earliest possible time. Businessman shot and robbed of gold jewellery in Banasree “Awami League and its allies are trying to destabilize the country. They have plenty of money that was laundered abroad. Through Operation Devil Hunt, we will continue to hunt them down and give them sleepless nights," he promised. He also said he was more than aware of the Banasree incident, and was keeping a keen eye on developments in the case there. He specifically mentioned any shortcomings on the part of law enforcement agencies would be looked into and dealt with fairly. He also promised, on at least two occasions, an improvement in the law and order situation by Monday itself. In a meeting with top security officials at his residence, instructions were issued to step up patrolling and to take any measures necessary to crack down on crime, he said. DU students stage midnight protest; issue ultimatum for home adviser’s resignation In response to a journalist’s query on women and girls not feeling safe, Lt. Gen. Jahangir sought to reassure them that they have ‘nothing to fear’. “We are always vigilant so that our mothers and sisters do not face any problems. I leave it to you to decide whether the law and order situation has improved from the way I found it when I came here,” he said. When his attention was drawn to calls for him to resign, the adviser said they were nothing new, but instead of resigning, he would ensure the rule of law in the country. “That is what they really want,” he said. He also said there was no possibility of the law and order situation deteriorating further, rather it will keep improving day by day. JU holds protest rally against rape, kidnapping, terrorism Before leaving the 10-minute briefing, Lt. Gen. Jahangir (retd) was keen to remind everyone of the situation post-August 5th, in which he took this key responsibility. He asked everyone to keep that in mind, and comparing it to where things stand today, before passing judgement on his performance over 6 months.

Some 1,400 weapons and 250,000 rounds of ammunition looted in the aftermath of the July Uprising still remain missing, CA’s Special Assistant Abdul Hafiz said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters following the final session of the three-day Deputy Commissioners’ (DCs) Conference, Hafiz said the joint forces’ drive across the country would continue and the focus will be given to recover the missing arms and ammunition. When asked about directives given to the DCs, Hafiz said, “In a few districts, some weapons and ammunition have been destroyed. Questions were raised about how quickly these could be officially disposed of. Moving forward, the authorities must address multiple challenges. As I have mentioned, around 1,400 weapons, looted after 5 August, have yet to be recovered. Similarly, 250,000 rounds of various types of ammunition remain missing, which could potentially fall into the hands of terrorists and be used for nefarious purposes.” Providing further details, Hafiz said early 6,000 weapons were looted, with three-quarters of them successfully retrieved. “Of the 600,000 rounds of ammunition taken, only 250,000 remain missing. This means a significant number has been recovered. The ongoing operations will ensure that the rest are recovered in due course,” he added. Joint Forces arrest 12 men with arms in Dhaka's Geneva Camp Expressing concerns about emerging threats, Hafiz said, “I have pointed out that autocratic elements and their allies are regrouping and announcing programmes. They could drive the country towards instability, and we must remain vigilant. With Ramadan approaching, the authorities will face threefold challenges: ensuring market stability to keep commodity prices affordable, managing potential electricity shortages, and maintaining law and order.” Hafiz said citizens have some fundamental expectations. “People want to move around safely, sleep peacefully at night, and have access to essential goods at reasonable prices. Moreover, they should receive government services without unnecessary hassles. I have conveyed that the officials on the ground represent the government to the people.” Huge arms, ammunition recovered KNF den in Bandarban: ISPR About civil-military cooperation, Hafiz mentioned that discussions were held on enhancing coordination between the civil administration and the armed forces.

Thirteen people including leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, have been detained in Sylhet city as part of the ongoing 'Devil Hunt' operation. Operation Devil Hunt: 509 more arrested across the country ADC (Media) Mohammad Saiful Islam of Sylhet Metropolitan Police said Lipon Kasud Mia Chowdhury, nephew of former Sylhet-3 MP Habibur Rahman Habib and the others were detained in the operation on Friday night. Legal action will be taken against the detainees at the respective police stations.

The joint forces have arrested 566 people across the country under 'Operation Devil Hunt' on the fifth day of the operation, according to the police headquarters. This brings the total number of arrests under the operation to 3,415 as of Thursday afternoon, it said. Some 1099 of the arrests were in connection with different cases, it said. 16 arrested in Kamrangirchar ‘Block Raid’ During the fifth day's operations, the joint forces also recovered arms and ammunition including two foreign made pistols, two magazines, five bullets and two sharp weapons.  The government launched the nationwide security operation on Saturday night, ostensibly aiming to curb unrest and ensure public safety.       

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 16 people conducting a “Block Raid” for their involvement in various crimes.  The operation began on Wednesday at 5:30pm and continued until 2am on Thursday, according to Assistant Commissioner (media) of DMP Jahangir Kabir. The arrestees are Jumman 24, Md. Arif 19, Md Abu Bakkar 20, Robin 22, Md. Alamgir Hossain 49, Md. Akter Hossain,34, Md. Al Amin 22, Md. Tuhin 24, Lavlu 30, Md. Ismail 34, Md Sharif 20, Shri Utpal Chandra Das 30, Sakir 20, Ismail 28, Sohel 32 and Sajal 22. DMP bans fireworks, explosives during Shab-e-Barat The arrested people included identified drug dealers, snatchers, extortionists, criminals, and  thieves. They have been sent to court for legal proceedings.

A total of 591 more were arrested across the country in 24 hours as part of the "Operation Devil Hunt." This brings the total number of arrests in the first four days of the operation to 2,849 as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Police Headquarters. In addition, 1,095 people were arrested during this period in connection with various cases. On the fourth day of the operation, the joint forces also seized arms and ammunition, including a foreign-made pistol, a Chinese rifle, two LGs, four shutter guns, one magazine, three rounds of ammunition, 17 cartridges, 20 cocktails, six knives, seven sharp weapons, one hammer, and two iron rods. Home Adviser calls for heightened vigilance in ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ The government launched the nationwide operation on Saturday night, aiming to curb unrest and ensure public safety. The operation was devised following Friday night's attack on students and civilians in Gazipur, a traditional stronghold of the Awami League.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali has instructed police officers to prioritise the investigation of cases linked to the Anti-Discrimination Movement. Speaking at DMP's monthly crime-review meeting for January 2025 held at the Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh on Wednesday, he stressed the need for swift case resolutions and urged officers to intensify efforts in executing warrants and recovering illegal drugs. The DMP chief also highlighted the ongoing ‘Operation Devil Hunt,’ aimed at bringing criminals to justice. This special drive targets offenders involved in abductions, robberies, extortion and other major crimes, including those responsible for killings during last year’s July-August student protests. He underscored the importance of arresting snatchers and extortionists, calling on all DMP stations and outposts to enhance their vigilance and operational effectiveness. Tackling Dhaka’s Traffic Woes Commissioner Sazzat Ali also turned his focus to Dhaka’s severe traffic congestion, calling it one of the capital’s most pressing issues. Ex-CMP commissioner Saiful arrested in Dhaka He pointed out that road blockades—often caused by protests from government and private organisations—exacerbate the problem and must be curtailed. He instructed the traffic department to implement stricter measures to control overspeeding and ensure smoother vehicular movement across the city. Crime Statistics During the meeting, Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Md. Faruk Hossain presented an analysis of January 2025’s crime statistics. The report covered various incidents, including robberies, dacoities, thefts, murders, unnatural deaths, road accidents, violence against women and children, rape, drug seizures and weapons recovery. Senior police officials, including Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Md Sarwar, Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam, as well as Joint Police Commissioners, Deputy Police Commissioners, and Officers-in-Charge of various police stations, were present. The Commissioner urged all officers to perform their duties with dedication, ensuring a safer and more disciplined Dhaka.

Joint forces arrested 343 people under 'Operation Devil Hunt' across the country on the second day of the operation. It brings the total arrested on the first two days of the operation till Monday afternoon to 1651, said sources at the police headquarters. Of them, 1178 were arrested in connection with different cases against them, it said. DB arrests ex-CHT state minister Dipankar Talukder from Sobhanbagh During the second day's operations, the joint forces also recovered arms and ammunition including one pistol, two magazines, 11 rounds of bullets, six cartridges, three knives, three swords, an axe, ten cocktails, one stick, four iron rods and four sharp weapons. Earlier, the joint forces arrested 1,308 people on the first day of the operation. The government launched the nationwide security operation on Saturday night, ostensibly aiming to curb unrest and ensure public safety. The context in which it came about, however, suggested a particular focus on supporters and activists of the Awami League, including its banned student front, the Chhatra League. CID collects bones from demolished Dhanmondi-32 home The operation was devised following Friday night's attack on students and civilians in Gazipur, a traditional den of the Awami League. Meanwhile, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday that the countrywide crackdown ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ would continue until the devils are eradicated.