Gendaria drug sanctuary bulldozed

Law enforcement authorities launched a major eviction drive on Tuesday (October 27) to demolish illegal structures at the Ghuntighar railway station area in Gendaria.

The drive, conducted jointly by the police and the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), commenced around 11:30 AM using heavy machinery, including wheel loaders, to level makeshift shanties and unauthorized establishments built along the railway track.

Moniruzzaman Monir, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gendaria Police Station, confirmed the operation, stating that the initiative aims to dismantle drug dens permanently while restoring vehicular movement along the cleared access roads.

"We are clearing the entire Ghuntighar area to make the roads suitable for regular traffic movement," OC Moniruzzaman said. "The illegal drug hangouts beside the rail line are being completely demolished. City corporation equipment, local police, former councillors, and residents are participating in the drive with strong support from the local community."

The area has long been notorious as a hotbed for illegal narcotics trading and abuse. Despite frequent law enforcement operations—including an incident several months ago when a Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) inspector was shot during a raid—the illegal operations repeatedly resurfaced.

On October 19, a joint team led by DNC Dhaka Metro-South Deputy Director Anwar Hossain and RAB-10 detained at least 14 individuals during a targeted raid across Ghuntighar, Gendaria railway station, and Munshirtek.

-SA