The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The metropolitan police will introduce river patrol in the low-lying areas around the city during the rainy season to protect the local inhabitants from piracy.

This was disclosed by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Naim Ahmad at the monthly crime review meeting at Rajarbagh Police Lines yesterday afternoon.

"Incidents of secret killings in the city increased to 31 in May compared to 25 in April. "That doesn't mean the law and order situation has deteriorated. Crime is a continuous process but the law enforcers are trying to bring it under control," Naim said.

"The activities of pirates usually increase in low-lying areas of the city during the rainy season. DMP has decided to deploy river patrol teams to ensure security of the people living in those areas," the DMP Commissioner added.

He said police teams would patrol by boat at night. They will use hailers during the patrol to make the residents aware of their presence and to scare away the pirates.

Some 44 robberies, 26 rapes, 293 thefts and 7 dacoities occurred during the month showing a considerable improvement in the situation over the previous month, he claimed.

He said 18 illegal firearms were recovered and 35 people arrested in May.