As the 13th parliamentary election approaches, the security situation across the port city has once again come under focus.
Amid fears of election-related violence, targeted killings and criminal activities, the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has classified the city’s 16 police stations into three categories—red, yellow and green—based on risk levels.
Of these, areas under five stations have been identified as the most high-risk and designated as “red corridor”, signalling serious concern and heightened surveillance during the election period to maintain law and order.
A total of 312 highly vulnerable polling centres under CMP fall within the jurisdiction of these stations.
According to CMP sources, the five police stations marked as red corridor are Karnaphuli, Baklia, Chandgaon,
Bayezid and Akbar Shah. These areas have been associated with incidents of targeted killings, extortion and violent clashes.
The areas under the remaining 11 police stations are marked as ‘yellow’ and ‘green’ categories, signifying that they are comparatively normal.
CMP Assistant Commissioner (Media) Aminur Rashid said Chattogram has five entry points, each falling under the jurisdiction of these five police stations. Considering them extremely risky, they have been marked as red corridors.
According to the CMP commissioner, among the 16 police stations, the number of murders is higher in these five, while incidents in the remaining 11 stations are fewer.
CMP Commissioner Hasib Aziz said security measures would be strengthened in areas with a higher concentration of minority voters, as they are easier to intimidate, adding that all necessary preparations are in place.
CMP oversees a total of 607 polling centres, of which 312 are classified as highly vulnerable, 149 as vulnerable and 146 as general polling centres.
Data available on the Bangladesh Police website show that 90 murder cases were filed in CMP areas last year, including 20 in August and 10 in July.
So far this year, 61 murder cases have been recorded under CMP, with the highest number, 11, reported in April.
On the afternoon of 5 November, during public outreach activities of BNP-nominated parliamentary candidate Ershad Ullah ahead of the national election, listed criminal Sarwar Hossain Babla was killed in a targeted attack.
The name of another listed criminal, Raihan, also surfaced in connection with the incident. CMP described Babla’s killing as a targeted killing. Investigations revealed that such murders were driven by disputes over extortion control, dominance over sand quarries, control of brick, sand and cement supply businesses, land grabbing and drug trafficking.
It is learnt that targeted killings began in Chattogram after 5 August last year. On 29 August 2024, Masud and Anis were shot dead in the Kuwaish area. Subsequently, Chandgaon businessman Tahsin was shot dead, followed by the killing of two people inside a private car on the Baklia access road, and later another ‘top criminal’, Dhakaiya Akbar, was killed in Patenga.
On Sunday, 14 December, 15 to 20 rounds of bullets were fired in front of the house of a former Chhatra Dal leader, Ahmad Reza, in the Kulgaon area under Bayezid Bostami police station. Police and local residents said the shooting occurred after he protested against a demand for Tk50,000 in extortion from one of his neighbours.
Locals alleged that associates of fugitive criminal Sazzad Ali, also known as Boro Sazzad, were involved in the incident. Sazzad Hossain, known as Chhoto Sazzad, is a follower of Boro Sazzad.
