Dhaka Metropolitan Police

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is the unit of Bangladesh Police responsible for law enforcement in the metropolis of Dhaka, the national capital and most populous city in Bangladesh. The DMP is the largest police force unit in Bangladesh. At present the DMP commissioner is Habibur Rahman.[1][2]

Dhaka Metropolitan Police
ঢাকা মেট্রোপলিটন পুলিশ
Crest of Dhaka Metropolitan Police
Crest of Dhaka Metropolitan Police
AbbreviationDMP
Mottoশান্তি শপথে বলিয়ান
Agency overview
Formed1 February, 1976
Employees34,000
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionDhaka, Bangladesh
Constituting instrument
  • The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1976
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters36 Shaheed Captain Mansur Ali Sarani, Ramna, Dhaka 1217
Elected officer responsible
Agency executive
Parent agencyBangladesh Police
UnitsCTTC, SWAT, Detective Branch
Facilities
Stations50
Website
dmp.gov.bd

History edit

During a major reorganization and expansion of Bangladesh's national police forces, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was established on 1 February 1976 to maintain law and order in the country's capital and largest city. It initially had 6,000 personnel in 12 police stations.[3] With the rapid population growth of the city, the need of an expanded and better equipped police increased. The government planned a major expansion of police. Consequently, the establishment of 50 police stations has been completed.[3][4] The number of personnel has been expanded, with newer ranks and officer corps.[3] During the tenure of Asaduzzaman Mia as DMP Commissioner, general diary (GD) format was introduced in every police station, an e-traffic prosecution system was introduced and information of Dhaka residents was stored on a digital database to reduce crimes.[5]

Holey Artisan

The attack started at about 21:40 local time. Alerted by the gunfire, Dhaka Metropolitan Police detective Rabiul Karim and officer-in-charge Salauddin Khan started to investigate. Other police officers responded, arriving at the restaurant. The attackers then engaged in a shootout with the police. Police cordoned off the area around the restaurant and planned a rescue raid. The attackers however threw grenades and fired, killing officers Karim and Khan.[6][7]

DMP Commissioner, Asaduzzaman Mia, and several officers struck inside and opened fire on the militants in an attempt to rescue civilians from the site. 9 people were brought back from the site in the attempt. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was briefed by the Commissioner and she instructed him to move away with his men and informed him the Army Chief Belal Shafiul Huq was on his way from Sylhet.[8] He has been known as one of the figurehead who contributed in uprooting terrorism from the country.[9]

Organisation edit

The current total strength of stands at around more than 34,000 (including ministerial staff) personnel and 50 police stations.[3][4] The DMP organisation is divided into 42 divisions headed by five additional commissioners aided by joint commissioners, deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners.[3] Here is the DMP organogram in brief:

  1. Headquarters and Administration: Additional Commissioner (Admin) administers the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Headquarters. Joint Commissioner (Headquarters) assists him in this regard. Joint Commissioner (Public Order Management) helps him with his 10,500 officers by governing arms of the police, handling appointments, training, logistics, supplies and other administrative functions. Additional Commissioner (Admin) has 15 divisions under his supervision.
  2. Crime and Operations Additional Commissioner (Crime & Ops) administers and oversees the functions of all the city police stations.[10] Joint Commissioner (Crime) and Joint Commissioner (Ops) assist him in managing the crime divisions. Joint Commissioner (Protection) is responsible for providing security to VIPs, members of parliament, government officials, foreign dignitaries and others.[11] Additional Commissioner (Crime & Ops) has 14 divisions under his supervision.
  3. Detective and Criminal Intelligence: Additional Commissioner (Detective and Criminal Intelligence Division) is responsible for fighting organised crime, homicide, theft, drug trafficking, crimes against women and human trafficking.[12] He has 9 divisions under his supervision.
  4. Traffic: Additional Commissioner (Traffic) is responsible for serving as the traffic police of the city, regulating vehicular traffic, speed and parking laws, pedestrian and road security. Eight divisions are under his supervision.
  5. Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime is a specialized branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police comprising 600 officers, formed in 2016, to tackle terrorism and transnational crime. There are seven divisions are under his supervision.

SWAT edit

The SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) is another elite tactical unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police which was established on 28 February 2009. SWAT is operated under the Special Action Group of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Cyber Crime Investigation Division edit

The Cyber Security & Crime Division, more commonly known as the Cyber Crime Division, is a branch of Bangladesh Police which is operated under the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.[13][14]

SWPC edit

Female officers were first inducted into the DMP in 1978.[15][16]

The Special Women Police Contingent (SWPC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police was created in 2008 to specifically track female criminals involved in activities such as prostitution, drug smuggling and human trafficking, theft, homicide and swindling. [17] With increasing proportions of female criminals in Bangladesh, the SWPC, composing entirely of female officers, would be used to gather intelligence that men are seen as less capable of gathering.[17][18]

The Special Women Police Contingent (SWPC) was formed in 2008 with the intention of developing a special unit consisting only of women that would investigate crimes involving female criminals. Bangladesh Narcotics Control Department reported that as many as 100,000 people were engaged in drug trafficking, of whom 40 percent were women.[17][19] Bangladesh Police considered male officers to be less effective than women in gathering information and investigating crimes involving women and had already been using female police officers more in tackling crimes involving female criminals.[17] As an all-women force, the SWPC is the first of its kind in Bangladesh's history.[17]

Bangladesh Police plan to raise such units across the country.[19] Currently, there are roughly 2,000 women officers in Bangladesh Police - less than two percent of the total force and one-third of whom are deployed in Dhaka.[17] Bangladesh Police plan to train and hire 3,000 women officers to bolster the SWPC.[17][19] An Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Dhaka SWPC who leads a detective force of 24 women officers.[19]

Thana list of Dhaka Metropolitan Police edit

  1. Adabor
  2. Airport
  3. Badda
  4. Banani
  5. Bangshal
  6. Bhashantek
  7. Cantonment
  8. Chackbazar
  9. Dakshin Khan
  10. Darus-Salam
  11. Demra
  12. Dhanmondi
  13. Gandaria
  14. Gulshan
  15. Hatirjheel
  16. Hazaribagh
  17. Jattrabari
  18. Kadamtoli
  19. Kafrul
  20. Kalabagan
  21. Kamrangirchar
  22. Khilgaon
  23. Khilkhet
  24. Kotwali
  25. Lalbagh
  26. Mirpur Model
  27. Mohammadpur
  28. Motijheel
  29. Mugda
  30. New Market
  31. Pallabi
  32. Paltan Model
  33. Ramna Model
  34. Rampura
  35. Rupnagar
  36. Sabujbag
  37. Shah Ali
  38. Shahbag
  39. Shahjahanpur
  40. Sher e Bangla Nagar
  41. Shyampur
  42. Sutrapur
  43. Tejgaon
  44. Tejgaon Industrial
  45. Turag
  46. Uttar Khan
  47. Uttara East
  48. Uttara West
  49. Vatara
  50. Wari

The DMP also collaborates and maintains organizational links with the Bangladesh Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh, Special Branch, Bangladeshi intelligence community, Rapid Action Battalion and other national security agencies.

Controversies edit

  • Mahbubur Rahman Sujon, a small trader, was arrested by sub-inspector Jahidur Rahman of Mirpur police station.[20] He was killed in custody in July 2014. SI Jahidur, who was previously stationed in Pallabi area, was also involved in the custody death of Jony, arrested from a Mirpur Bihari camp.[21] Jahidur was taken into custody as a murder case over the death of Sujon had been filed against him and six other accused in July 2014 after the incident.[22] Sujon's wife had filed the case under Torture and Custodial Death (Protection) Act-2013; the investigation was handed over to Detective Branch. Officer in Charge of Mirpur Station Salahuddin Khan[23] was also accused of being involved by Sujon's wife.[24][25] Salahuddin Khan was killed in the July 2016 Dhaka attack by terrorists.[26]
  • In March 2014, Jisan, a 17-year-old student, of Dhaka City College was arrested by police from Dhanmondi Police Station. He was allegedly tortured by sub-inspector Sahidul Biswas, who demanded 1 million taka to end the torture. Jisan's father gave 0.4 million taka to plainclothes individuals inside the police station. Jisan had to be admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for his injuries.[27][28] Dhaka Metropolitan Police denied the allegations of torture.[29]
  • In January 2015, three teenagers were killed in police custody in Mirpur police station. The teenagers were handed over to police on accusation of attempted arson during Bangladesh Nationalist Party protests. Police claimed they died from mob beating. This was contradicted by evidence that the teenagers had 56 bullet injuries.[30]
  • On 7 April 2015, Uttara West Police station claimed that they tortured a suspect in custody following directives of senior police officers.[31]
  • In November 2016 Dhaka Metropolitan Police asked the Directorate General of Health Services not to release the detailed autopsy report of people killed in Crossfire with police to the press.[32]
  • On 3 December 2019, sub-inspector Mostafizur Rahman and 5 other police officers of Uttara west police station were sued at for allegedly extorting a banker of Sonali Bank.[33]
  • On 16 January 2014, Tapan Chandra Saha, officer in charge of Uttara west police station was sued for the death of man in custody at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court. The deceased's wife alleged that her husband was tortured in custody and she paid 50 thousand taka in bribes.[34][35][36] On 24 January 2020, the court ordered Detective Branch to investigate on the incident.[37]
  • In 2020, police commissioner Shafiqul Islam removed a loyalist officer of Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Benazir Ahmed after publicly accusing him of corruption.[38]

Police commissioners edit

 
Asaduzzaman Mia, the 33rd and longest-serving commissioner
Name Dates in Office
Habibur Rahman 30 September 2023 - Present
Khandker Golam Faruq 29 October 2022 - 30 September 2023
Shafiqul Islam 13 September 2019 – 29 October 2022[39]
Asaduzzaman Mia 8 January 2015 - 13 September 2019
Benazir Ahmed 14 October 2010 - 8 January 2015
A. K. M. Shahidul Haque 18 March 2009 - 14 October 2010[40]
Naeem Ahmed 30 January 2007 - 15 March 2009
ABM Bazlur Rahman 3 November 2006 - 30 January 2007
Naeem Ahmed 2 November 2006 - 3 November 2006
SM Mizanur Rahman 15 December 2004 - 2 November 2006
Md. Ashraful Huda 20 May 2003 - 15 December 2004
Md. Abdul Qayyum 11 November 2001 - 20 May 2003
Md. Anwarul Iqbal 26 August 2001 - 11 November 2001
Qutbur Rahman 3 August 2001 - 26 August 2001
Md. Matiur Rahman 18 January 2000 - 3 August 2001
A. K. M. Shamsuddin 15 November 1998 - 18 January 2000
A. F. M. Mahmoud-Al Farid 17 November 1997 - 15 November 1998
A. K. Al Mamun 17 October 1996 - 17 November 1997
Mohammad Salam 24 April 1996 - 17 October 1996
A. N. Hussain 21 March 1993 - 24 April 1996
Mirza Rakibul Huda 4 April 1992 - 21 March 1993
Md. Ashraful Huda 12 December 1991 - 3 April 1992
Mohammad Salam 17 October 1991 - 12 December 1991
A. S. M. Shahjahan 2 January 1991 - 16 October 1991
Golam Morshed 19 November 1990 - 2 January 1991
M. Enamul Haque 26 August 1990 - 19 September 1990
Mohammad Salam 8 April 1990 - 26 August 1990
A. M. M. Nasrullah Khan 22 April 1987 - 8 April 1990
A. H. M. B. Zaman 4 April 1984 - 22 April 1987
Abdur Rakib Khandaker 10 March 1983 - 4 April 1984
M. Azizul Haq 2 August 1982 - 10 March 1983
Muhammad Habibur Rahman 2 August 1982 - 2 July 1982
Abdur Rakib Khandaker 2 February 1979 - 8 February 1982
A. M. M. Aminur Rahman 28 December 1976 - 2 February 1979
E. A. Chowdhury 1 February 1976 - 24 December 1976

References edit

  1. ^ "Biography of Commissioner". DMP official website. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)". The Daily Star. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "History of the DMP". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  4. ^ a b "DMP – New Initiatives". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  5. ^ "Outgoing DMP commissioner regrets failure to bring about discipline on the roads". Dhaka Tribune.
  6. ^ Ahmed, Saeed (3 July 2016). "'God wants you to die': Dhaka's long night of terror". CNN. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Families of 4 slain policemen get PM donation - National". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Ex-Dhaka police chief Asaduzzaman Mia recalls first responses to Holey Artisan attack". bdnews24.com. 27 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Police to root out extremism from country, says DMP chief". New Age.
  10. ^ "DMP – Crime Division". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  11. ^ "DMP – Protection Division". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  12. ^ "DMP – Detective Division". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  13. ^ Islam, Shariful; Jamil Khan, Mohammad (21 May 2018). "Cybercrime on the rise". The Daily Star. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  14. ^ "Counter Terrorism". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  15. ^ "History of the Bangladesh Police". Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  16. ^ "Women in the Police". The New Nation. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Women police intelligence unit in Bangladesh". Indiainfo.com. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  18. ^ Official Facebook page
  19. ^ a b c d "Bangladesh raises new unit of women police". Zee News. 30 August 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2008.
  20. ^ "Policemen accused of custodial murder". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  21. ^ "Youth dies in Mirpur police custody". New Age. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  22. ^ "Mirpur SI remanded". New Age. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  23. ^ "OC sued, judicial probe ordered". New Age. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  24. ^ "Wife sues Mirpur cops". The Daily Star. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  25. ^ "Police officer Jahid, source remanded in police custody". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  26. ^ "Banani OC killed as hostage crisis intensifies". NTV. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  27. ^ "Cops needed Tk 10 lakh". The Daily Star. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  28. ^ "Supreme Court must intervene to stop abuse of police remand". The New Nation. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  29. ^ "Torture claim on Jisan baseless, ill-motivated". Banglanews24.com. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  30. ^ "Police role questioned as probe going nowhere". The Daily Star. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  31. ^ Dhrubo, Golam Mujtaba. "Uttara West police lodge complaint saying top brass ordered torture of suspect by colleagues in the East". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  32. ^ "Police against revealing details of crossfire deaths to media | Dhaka Tribune". Dhaka Tribune. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  33. ^ "Corrupt cops made crores of taka: HC". New Age. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  34. ^ "A dubious death". Dhaka Tribune. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  35. ^ "Uttara west police OC, 3 other cops sued over trader's death". Dhaka Tribune. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  36. ^ "Four (custodial) deaths and an alibi". The Daily Star (Opinion). 28 February 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  37. ^ "Court orders probe against Uttara OC, 3 others". New Age. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  38. ^ "Power struggle in Bangladesh police revealed - Netra News". Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  39. ^ "Shafiqul made new DMP commissioner". The Daily Star. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  40. ^ "Former Commissioners". Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Retrieved 28 February 2021.