Amid rising concerns over possible violence surrounding the Awami League’s four-day protest programme—announced following the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—a special security operation has been launched to deploy nearly 7,000 uniformed personnel across Dhaka.
A significant share of this force consists of a newly raised personal militia group dressed in official police uniforms, according to a confidential Bangladesh Police document obtained by Northeast News.
The document reveals that young recruits were selected from a 9,000-member personal militia created by Asif Mahmud Sozib Bhuiyan, Adviser for Youth & Sports and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. Members of this group have already undergone a mobilization drill and are being stationed across the capital ahead of the Awami League’s protest programme beginning 10 November.
Security officials confirm that several hundred members of Bhuiyan’s force will be deployed in full Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) uniforms. Many have already received standard-issue police attire and have been positioned at key strategic points across the city.
Special Security Plan
According to the nine-page deployment plan issued on 7 November, a total of 6,829 personnel—including armed members—will be assigned under this special operation.
Dhaka has been divided into nine security sectors, covering all areas under the eight DMP divisions—Ramna, Motijheel, Wari, Lalbagh, Tejgaon, Gulshan, Mirpur, and Uttara—along with 49 police stations.
To manage potential unrest, the deployed force will be broken into small platoons, with one platoon designated for each police station area to ensure rapid response.
Command and Control
A centralized control room has been established to oversee operations, supervised by a Deputy Commissioner and an Additional Deputy Commissioner. Instructions will be relayed to platoon commanders via the police wireless network.
Any reports of illegal activities or violence will be immediately communicated to the respective Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, and Officers-in-Charge.
The control room will compile hourly updates for senior officials at Police Headquarters, while “highly sensitive” information will be transmitted directly to the DMP Commissioner, Additional Commissioners, and chiefs of the Crime and Operations units.
Equipment and Preparedness
All deployed personnel—official police and militia members in uniform—will receive riot gear, raincoats, and portable wireless devices during the protest period. The document specifies that officers will carry various types of firearms and ammunition.
Police vehicles will remain on standby to transport injured personnel if violence occurs.
The document stresses that “full coordination between officers and the force is essential for a successful operation,” underscoring the need for seamless cooperation among field commanders throughout the four-day deployment.
