Cocktails target police stations, CID office and Ansar headquarters in Dhaka as police step up surveillance

One cocktail explosion after another is taking place targeting various installations of law enforcement agencies in the capital. Sometimes the cocktails are thrown in front of police stations, sometimes at police offices, and sometimes at important security installations.

Police officers believe the miscreants are trying to spread panic among the public through these serial explosions. In this situation, police have stepped up surveillance and search operations in the capital.

The latest incidents took place on Sunday (8 November) at various places in the capital. One or two cocktails exploded in front of the Pallabi police station in Mirpur. An explosion also took place in front of Nabana Tower in the same area.

Cocktails were also thrown targeting Kajla in Jatrabari, the front of a private university in Badda, the Nilkhet intersection and the CID office. Three cocktails also exploded in front of the Uttara East police station.

Cocktail explosions also took place in front of the Jatrabari police station on the previous day and the day before that. In other words, explosions were carried out in front of that police station for three consecutive days.

Yesterday evening, a cocktail thrown targeting the inside of the Ansar headquarters in Khilgaon exploded.

Khilgaon police station's officer-in-charge (OC) Saiful Islam said a cocktail was thrown inside the Ansar headquarters in the evening yesterday and it exploded.

The Ansar headquarters is surrounded on all sides by a boundary wall. The fact that a cocktail was thrown inside therefore suggests the miscreants carried out a targeted attack, he said.

Paltan police station's officer-in-charge (OC) Ariful Alam said it appears the miscreants are throwing cocktails targeting police installations. Otherwise, how did a cocktail get inside the CID office, he asked.

The miscreants are trying to spread panic by causing explosions at various police installations, the Paltan OC said. But there is nothing to be panicked about, he added.

Uttara East police station's officer-in-charge (OC) Morshed said two cocktails exploded there, but they exploded in front of the police station, not inside it.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner (Media) Akhtar Hossain said the miscreants are trying to spread panic. Cocktails may also have been exploded targeting police installations, but law enforcement agencies remain active.

As part of this activity, three people have been arrested in connection with the cocktail explosion at the TSC of Dhaka University, he said.

He said search operations like checkpoints are being carried out at various places under the supervision of every police station in Dhaka. Suspected persons are being questioned and searched. This is part of the police's regular work.

Surveillance on the movement of suspected persons has also been increased, a police officer said. He said that while on duty in an area, if police members find anyone's movement suspicious, that person may be questioned and searched.

For example, the officer said, if police on duty in the Ramna police station area see someone moving suspiciously at the Kakrail intersection, they may search that person.

The movement of rickshaws is also being monitored. Which rickshaw is going from where to where is also being observed. If there is suspicion, police may carry out a search. But the officer said they have also been told to remain careful so that no one is harassed in the process.