Staff Reporter :
Police have arrested 1,711 people in a series of nationwide raids over a 24-hour period, recovering firearms and sharp weapons, according to a statement from the Police Headquarters on Friday.
The police media wing said in a text message that the drives were conducted from 12:00 a.m. Wednesday to 12:00 a.m. Thursday across Dhaka and other parts of the country.
Of those detained, 1,184 individuals were arrested in connection with pending cases or warrants, while 527 others were apprehended for various criminal offenses.
During the operations, police recovered one locally made single-barrel gun, two foreign pistols, one bullet, one magazine, and two switchblade knives, the statement said.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in the capital, police recovered three bodies within a span of two and a half hours from different locations under Shahbagh Police Station late Thursday night.
The deceased included two men and one woman, with the identities of two of them yet to be confirmed.
According to Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khalid Mansur, the bodies were recovered from the Dhaka University central mosque area, Central Shaheed Minar, and National Eidgah grounds.
The cause of death was not immediately known, and investigations are underway.
The arrests and discoveries came as Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told reporters that the overall law and order situation has improved significantly in recent weeks.
Speaking after attending the Kathin Chibar Dana Utsav of the Buddhist community at the Bodhinana Meditation Centre in Ashulia on Thursday, the adviser said the government was committed to maintaining peace and ensuring justice for all citizens.
He also addressed the recent controversy over a Durga Puja decoration in which a demon effigy was depicted with a beard — a portrayal that drew widespread condemnation.
“Those responsible for adding a beard to the face of the demon will soon be brought to justice,” Jahangir said. “No one involved in this misdeed will be spared.”
Law enforcement officials say the ongoing operations are part of a broader effort by the interim government to curb rising criminal activity and reinforce public security ahead of the national elections expected in February.
Police sources indicated that similar drives will continue in the coming days, targeting wanted suspects, illegal arms, and organised criminal networks across the country.
