Security concerns rise as crime lurks in Gulshan, Banani

Residents of Dhaka's posh Gulshan and Banani neighbourhoods have been expressing growing concerns over their safety and the security of their properties, following a series of robbery and extortion attempts in recent weeks.

Business owners in these areas also have voiced fears over night-time security, alleging that police are no longer conducting regular night patrols.

The most recent incident occurred in the early hours of today when a group of robbers attempted to invade a commercial building in the Gulshan-2 area.

Sub-Inspector Rafique, the duty officer at Gulshan Police Station, reported that around 1am, a gang of robbers on 50 motorbikes and two vehicles stormed the Finance Square Building, holding the security guards at gunpoint.

"A team of law enforcement rushed to the spot upon receiving information and surrounded the building," he said.

The joint forces arrested 10 robbers while the others managed to flee the scene.

The building, which houses several banks and private organisations, has now increased its security measures.

Earlier, on 31 August, a group of individuals posing as members of the Jubo Dal, the youth wing of the BNP, forcibly entered a residence in Gulshan-2.

Five of them were apprehended, and one was later identified as Sabbir, a leader of the Gulshan Thana Chhatra League.

"These individuals were impersonating Jubo Dal members to extort money from the homeowner," said Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo Dal Convener Sharifuddin Jewel.

"When we heard about this, members from the Gulshan and Banani units of the Jubo Dal rushed to the location, caught the perpetrators red-handed, and handed them over to the police," he added.

Gulshan Police Station Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain Khan confirmed the arrests, stating that they were detained on charges of extortion and that a case had been filed.

Residents allege that certain political figures, in collaboration with individuals from nearby slums, have been forcibly entering offices and residences to demand money.

"The police are not yet fully active, and the situation is alarming. They have stopped the night patrols they used to conduct regularly," said one resident, speaking anonymously.

The police force has reportedly been undergoing reforms and has yet to resume full operations following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August.

Helal (not his real name), a businessman who runs a recruitment agency in Banani, recently dealt with extortion.

"Some people posing as BNP men came to my office late in August and demanded money. I wanted to call the police, but I knew they would not show up in time, so I had to pay up. But even after paying, what if another group comes to demand money?" he said.

A real estate businessman with an office in Gulshan-2 mentioned that he had to close down his office temporarily due to fears of an extortion attempt.

"Police are not yet fully active; they may need more time to regain confidence and strength. However, law and order must be restored soon for business to return to normal," he said.

Another businessman, who owns multiple electronics showrooms in Gulshan and Banani, added, "I spend every night in fear that criminals might storm my showrooms. I have taken out loans from banks and invested a significant amount of money, but every night I fear losing everything."

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mainul Hasan has stated in a press briefing that the police would need more time to fully resume ground operations.

Adding to the tension, reports of forced raids by individuals claiming to be law enforcement officers have alarmed residents.

On Friday night, a member of the Gulshan Society reported a raid on her home by people who later identified themselves as law enforcement officers.

In a written complaint to the Gulshan Society, the woman explained that she and her two young sons live alone in a house in Gulshan-1.

"Around 8pm, 20 to 30 people forcibly entered the building and started to pull my collapsible gate, eventually tearing it down. They then began breaking down my door. I immediately called 999 for help, and they told me not to open the door for my safety," the complaint reads.

She further stated that her son was injured while trying to barricade the door. She alleged that the raiders had also threatened to harm them.

"Those who entered my flat claimed to be either police and RAB. When I asked why they had entered without a search warrant, they did not reply. They confiscated two of my CCTV equipment, saying they would return them later. They told me they were searching for guns, but they found nothing," she wrote.

When contacted, Gulshan Police Station Officer-in-charge Md Towhid Ahmed declined to comment on the matter.

At a recent press briefing, Home Advisor Lt Gen Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd) underscored the requirement for law enforcement agencies to properly identify themselves while conducting operations and making arrests.

"Under no circumstances can anyone be arrested without proper identification from the law enforcers," he said. The Home Ministry has launched a joint operation across the country to recover illegal weapons, effective from 4 September.

Meanwhile, Omar Sadat, president of the Gulshan Society, said the society had initiated night patrolling in the area after Sheikh Hasina's fall on 5 August.

"When the situation seemed to stabilise, we stopped. However, with the recent rise in incidents, we decided to resume the night patrols, starting at 11pm, in collaboration with the community police and our civil patrol team," he said.

All roads and alley gates in the Gulshan residential area will be shut after 11pm to ensure safety, he added.