DMP chief urges city dwellers to keep bags, phones safe

Acknowledging the growing number of mugging incidents in the capital, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjad Ali urged the city dwellers to keep personal items including moneybags, mobile phones, etc., safe by themselves to assist police.

He said extensive measures had been taken by police to curb the incidents of robbery in the city, adding, "We will help you, but please try to keep your mobile phones, money bags, and purses safe, and by doing so, you can cooperate with us."

The DMP chief made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the annual general meeting of the Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association at the Dhaka Club on Wednesday.

The crimes created panic among city dwellers and in most cases, boys of ages 15 to 22 were getting involved in such crimes because of their drug addiction, he said.

He called upon the city dwellers to be vigilant while talking on phone while travelling by buses or motorbikes.

Most of the incidents involved snatching of mobile phones from passengers, he stated.

As a part of extensive measures, the number of day and nighttime patrols increased last week in Dhaka to check mugging and DB police were also put on alert.

The number of such incidents started declining last week compared to the previous one, he stated.

The DMP has been conducting "special drives" across the capital since Dec 22 to prevent robberies.

He also called upon political parties and pressure groups to use open fields, auditoriums and meeting venues instead of roads to avoid traffic jams in the capital.

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