Dhaka Traffic Police Take on Bigger Role in Fighting Crime

Dhaka’s traffic police are increasingly taking on a role beyond managing congestion and enforcing road rules, with officers responding to street crimes, chasing suspected snatchers and recovering stolen valuables across the capital.

Positioned at major intersections, busy roads and other crowded areas, traffic police often have a key advantage when street crimes occur: they are already close to the scene.

Recent incidents show traffic personnel responding within minutes, and sometimes seconds, to snatching incidents, with pedestrians and local residents often joining the pursuit.

DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has instructed police to maintain round-the-clock surveillance in areas vulnerable to snatching, alongside stronger intelligence activities and regular anti-crime drives.

According to DMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Anisur Rahman, traffic police detained 33 alleged snatchers between May and July this year. Eight were detained in May, another eight in June and 17 in July.

The figures do not include the large number of traffic-law cases handled by the division during the same period.

“We all work together. This is truly a matter of relief and pride for us,” Anisur Rahman said, adding that traffic personnel work alongside DMP crime divisions and local police stations while continuing their regular traffic duties.

Traffic police chase suspected snatchers

One recent incident occurred in Kamalapur on August 20.

At around 10:10am, a man identified as Sahed, 25, allegedly snatched an earring from a woman in front of a bus counter on the main road. He reportedly attempted to swallow the earring after taking it.

A traffic sergeant stationed in the area noticed the incident and, with help from local residents, chased and detained him. Sahed was later handed over to Motijheel Police Station.

A similar incident occurred at Mirpur-12 intersection on August 17, when a traffic sergeant saw a man fleeing after allegedly snatching a woman’s bag and mobile phone.

The officer chased the suspect, identified as Liton Sheikh, 20, with assistance from pedestrians. The stolen items were recovered and returned to the victim before the suspect was handed over to Pallabi Police Station.

On August 15, Traffic Sergeant Rana Pal saw a man allegedly snatch a gold chain from a woman travelling in a moving rickshaw near Golap Shah Mazar.

He chased and detained the suspect, identified as Monir Hossain, 36. Police later recovered the chain based on information provided by him and returned it to the victim before handing him over to Shahbagh Police Station.

In each case, the officers were able to respond immediately because they were already deployed on the streets.

33 alleged snatchers detained in three months

DMP data show that traffic police detained eight alleged snatchers in May, eight in June and 17 in July.

During May, traffic personnel also recovered three mobile phones, three gold items, Tk 16,800 in cash, two CNG-run autorickshaws, two motorcycles and three locally made weapons. They also rescued a child and a victim and detained two alleged thieves.

In June, they recovered two mobile phones, 40 bhori of gold, Tk 56,950 in cash, Tk 1,000 in counterfeit notes, 5,500 yaba pills, four cans of beer, a motorcycle and four locally made weapons. Two children were rescued and three alleged thieves were detained.

In July, traffic police recovered a pistol, 144.25kg of cannabis, 199 bottles of Phensedyl, a private car, two autorickshaws, a pickup van, 11 mobile phones, two gold items, Tk 1,895 in cash and two locally made weapons.

They also detained people allegedly involved in impersonating a police officer, drug dealing and rape, along with three suspected thieves. Two missing children were rescued, while six cattle and two goats were recovered.

Why traffic police are becoming first responders

Traffic police are not primarily responsible for investigating snatching, robbery, drug trafficking or other conventional crimes. Those duties generally fall under DMP’s crime divisions and the relevant police stations.

However, traffic personnel are deployed at intersections, bus stops, markets and other locations where street crimes can occur.

Dhaka has eight traffic divisions — Gulshan, Lalbagh, Mirpur, Motijheel, Ramna, Tejgaon, Uttara and Wari — giving traffic police a wide operational presence across the capital.

Their constant presence among pedestrians and motorists means they can sometimes respond to a crime before a formal complaint reaches a police station.

A suspect fleeing on a motorcycle, rickshaw or on foot can disappear within seconds, while a victim may be too shocked to react immediately. A nearby traffic officer, however, can raise an alarm, pursue the suspect or direct members of the public to block escape routes.

The recent incidents in Kamalapur and Mirpur also show how public participation can strengthen such immediate responses.

At the same time, police need to ensure that interventions remain within the law and that suspects are handed over to the appropriate police station for formal investigation.

Traffic police handling other offences

The growing involvement of traffic police in crime prevention is not limited to snatching.

On August 18, DMP Traffic Mirpur Division, in cooperation with Dhaka Electric Supply Company, conducted an operation against illegal electricity connections used to charge battery-run rickshaws. The operation disconnected 25 illegal connections and seized 70 batteries.

In Jatrabari, traffic police detained a man accused of collecting money from rickshaw-pullers while falsely identifying himself as a journalist. He was later handed over to Jatrabari Police Station.

Meanwhile, traffic police continue to handle their core responsibilities on a large scale.

DMP filed 38,284 cases for traffic-law violations in May, including 672 cases generated through an AI-based enforcement system. The cases resulted in Tk 8.71 crore in fines.

In July, traffic police filed another 2,240 cases during a single enforcement drive aimed at improving traffic discipline, reducing congestion and enhancing road safety.

The crime-prevention role is therefore being added to an already extensive workload rather than replacing the division’s traditional responsibilities.

A new layer of street-level policing

The growing role of traffic police reflects a broader effort to strengthen the response to street crime in Dhaka.

The DMP commissioner’s instructions for continuous surveillance in vulnerable areas and stronger intelligence operations against snatching and drug-related crimes can be complemented by traffic personnel already deployed across the capital.

For many commuters, the first police officer they encounter after a street crime may not be an investigator or patrol officer. It may be the traffic sergeant standing at the nearest intersection.

That physical presence is increasingly turning traffic police into an important first line of response to street crime in Dhaka.