Joint forces have launched a special operation across four upazilas of Khulna district to improve law and order, with the drive focusing primarily on curbing drugs and recovering illegal firearms.
The operation, involving the SRB, Khulna Metropolitan Police and Khulna District Police, began on Tuesday in Rupsha, Dighalia, Terokhada and Batiaghata upazilas.
Khulna Superintendent of Police Sarkar Omar Farooq disclosed the details at a press briefing at the conference room of the district police superintendent’s office at 3:30 pm on Wednesday.
He said controlling drugs and recovering illegal firearms were the main objectives of the operation, adding that most targeted killings in Khulna stemmed from drug-related issues.
Responding to a question, Farooq said 35 homicides had been recorded in the district so far this year.
Police have unravelled the circumstances behind 25 of the killings, while 10 cases remain unsolved, he said.
Giving a breakdown, the SP said nine people were shot dead, three killings were drug-related, 13 resulted from social causes, two were political, two remained unexplained, two newborns were smothered and four deaths stemmed from family disputes.
Explaining the challenges facing law enforcement agencies, Farooq said Khulna city and the surrounding district were divided by the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers, allowing criminals to quickly move from one jurisdiction to another after committing crimes.
He said the geographical layout made it difficult for law enforcement agencies to arrest suspects.
The SP added that Rupsha upazila’s high population density also made it easier for criminals to remain in hiding.
Farooq said police were taking up a one-week challenge to curb crime and expressed confidence that the law and order situation would change within the next week.
Responding to another question, Additional Superintendent of Police for A-Circle Saiful Islam said police had yet to recover some of the firearms looted during the 2024 mass movement.
He said those weapons remained in the possession of terrorists.
