Speakers at a town hall meeting in Rajshahi have stressed that active public participation is essential to combating drug trafficking, terrorism, extortion, cybercrime and juvenile gangs, saying that law enforcement efforts alone are not enough to ensure sustainable public safety.
They said raising public awareness, strengthening community engagement and expanding technology-based policing are crucial to building a safer and crime-free Rajshahi.
The remarks came at a town hall meeting titled "Partnership Between Law Enforcement Agencies and the Public for Building a Safe Rajshahi," organised by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5 at the Rajshahi College auditorium on Tuesday.
The meeting was chaired by Lt Col Khandaker Md Mahmudur Rahman, PSC, commanding officer of RAB-5, while Dr A N M Bazlur Rashid, divisional commissioner of Rajshahi and an additional secretary, attended as the chief guest.
Among the special guests were Rajshahi Range DIG Md Ashik Sayeed, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Mohammad Faizul Kabir, Rajshahi Superintendent of Police Mohammad Naimul Hasan, 1 BGB Commanding Officer Lt Col Riaz Shahriar, Rajshahi College Principal Prof Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Ali, Vice-Principal Prof Abu Md Yunus Ali, Additional Director of the Department of Narcotics Control Md Ali Aslam, and Director of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force (Rajshahi Range) Dr Md Shafiqul Islam. Teachers, students, journalists and representatives of civil society also attended the programme.
During the event, RAB-5 highlighted its ongoing intelligence-led operations against drug trafficking, illegal firearms, terrorism, extortion and militancy. Officials said the force has also continued drives to arrest suspects in murder, robbery and snatching cases, conduct joint operations with other law enforcement agencies, recover illegal firearms and explosives, and prevent acts of sabotage.
The force also outlined its security measures during major religious festivals, elections and other national events, alongside cybercrime monitoring, rumour prevention and public awareness campaigns through social media.
Speaking on behalf of journalists, Golam Mostafa Mamun, general secretary of the Rajshahi Press Club, called for the formation of community committees to combat narcotics, identification of drug traffickers and the use of technology to ensure their swift arrest.
RAB-5 also presented its operational statistics for the January-June 2026 period. According to the data, the force conducted 231 anti-drug drives, arresting 300 suspects. It also carried out 37 operations related to murder cases, leading to the arrest of 44 suspects; 18 operations in rape cases, arresting 16 suspects; 21 operations against illegal arms traders, resulting in one arrest; and 191 other operations, during which 97 suspects were arrested.
The battalion unveiled a five-point action plan aimed at strengthening public safety. The plan includes uninterrupted operations against crime, wider use of technology-driven policing, enhanced cybercrime surveillance and investigation, stronger public participation in community security and greater youth engagement in constructive activities to help build a crime-free society.
The meeting also featured discussions on drug abuse, cybercrime, juvenile delinquency, violence against women and children, social crimes, road safety, border smuggling, security at educational institutions and expanding community participation in crime prevention.
