Dhaka DB Detains 84 in Drug Raid at Senior Police Officer’s Rental Property
The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained 84 people, including 26 women, during a raid on a house in the capital’s Bhatara area over alleged drug use and illegal DJ parties.
The operation took place late Monday night at a property in Police Officers’ Housing Society-1, near the city’s 300-feet road. Police reportedly recovered several types of narcotics, including crystal methamphetamine (ice), yaba tablets, cannabis, kush and alcohol, along with equipment used for drug consumption.
The three-storey property belongs to Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdullah Al Zahir, who had reportedly rented it out through online accommodation platforms, including Airbnb. According to investigators, the premises had allegedly been used for gatherings involving drugs and DJ parties.
Among those detained were 58 men, 26 women and an Afghan national. Police said legal proceedings were being initiated against those suspected of involvement in illegal activities. Mahbubul Alam, identified as a co-host who helped manage the property, was also detained.
Following the raid, Police Headquarters reassigned Additional DIG Zahir to another branch within the headquarters. However, authorities have not announced any criminal charges against him in connection with the incident.
Zahir denied responsibility for the alleged activities, saying the property was rented for social events such as birthday celebrations and traditional pre-wedding ceremonies. He maintained that the rental rules prohibited drugs, alcohol and other illegal activities, arguing that landlords should not automatically be held responsible for offences committed by tenants without their knowledge.
Investigators have yet to publicly establish the full extent of the alleged activities or determine what the property owner knew about them.
The incident has raised questions about the monitoring of properties rented through online platforms and the measures needed to prevent such premises from being used for illegal activities.
Reporting by Borderless for The Borderless Journal. Filed under Uncategorized · 21 Oct 2026, 13:00.
