Field-level police officers have stated that many of the force's service activities center around Dhaka. Many specialized units have also been established with Dhaka as their base. Additionally, many individuals seek to take advantage of the political power and influence available in the capital.
A recent study on citizens' trust in police services in urban areas of the country was conducted by three professors from the Department of Public Administration and the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies at the University of Dhaka (DU). The study also considered the crime rate in relation to population size in urban areas. Using data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and Bangladesh Police, the research explores the connection between urban-based crime rates and the number of police personnel. The study analyzes all types of crimes, including violent and property-related crimes, based on police data. It also examines the various categories and subcategories of crimes as defined by the police, such as robbery, murder during robbery, piracy, murder, riots, offenses under the Special Powers Act, violence against women and children, kidnapping, theft, snatching, arms, drugs, fraud, forgery, anti-corruption commission (ACC) cases, attacks on police, extortion, and other criminal activities.
The research findings show that Sylhet City has the highest violent crime rate, at 2.16 per one hundred thousand people. Khulna city has the second highest rate, at 0.94 per one hundred thousand. In Rangpur, the rate is 0.47. The lowest rate is in Dhaka, at 0.22 per one hundred thousand people.
Land-related crimes are most prevalent in Khulna, with a proportional rate of 32.62. In Rangpur, the rate is 28; in Sylhet, it is 13.24; and the lowest is in Dhaka, with a rate of 9.35.
Regarding overall crime rates, Dhaka ranks the lowest, while Khulna ranks the highest. In Khulna, the proportional rate of overall crime is 33.37. Rangpur has the second-highest rate, 28.47, followed by Sylhet, 15.40. The lowest overall crime rate is in Dhaka, 9.58.
The survey data shows that the city with the highest proportional crime rate, Khulna Metropolitan, is operated by the police through nine police stations. On the other hand, Sylhet, which has the highest rate of violent crime, is managed by the police through six police stations. In contrast, Dhaka, which has the lowest crime rate on the list, has 50 police stations working to control crime. In Dhaka, the police force consists of 26,661 officers, the most in any city with the least crime. However, in Khulna, the city with the highest crime rate, only 4,101 police officers are assigned to the police stations. Rangpur has 1,185 police officers, and Sylhet has 3,332 officers working in their respective police stations.
Dhaka's police stations have several times more policemen than the top cities in terms of overall crime rate. As the reason for this, experts say, Dhaka has become the main focus of police attention around illegal money transactions. On the one hand, the proportional crime rate is low in Dhaka, and the opportunity to make quick money is also a big reason for police officers to move to Dhaka. As well as the center of political power as the capital. These things encourage the policemen to move towards Dhaka. Apart from this, human rights activists believe that better education and the medical system also play a big role in the policemen moving to Dhaka.
Nur Khan Liton, a human rights activist, told Bonik Barta, "One of the main reasons for all government officials, including the police, to move to Dhaka is to be close to power and get the opportunity to make illegal money quickly by being under the watchful eye of the powerful." Apart from this, government officials, including the police, want to move to Dhaka, considering the quality of education, medical care, and living. Also, the police's main service activities are now centered in Dhaka. If we want to ensure public service and control crime, we must come out of Dhaka-centric activities.
The Police Headquarters states that several criteria are followed when assigning police personnel. Inamul Haque Sagar, the Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Media and Public Relations at Bangladesh Police, told Bonik Barta, "When assigning police personnel to cities, metropolitan areas, or districts, several criteria are considered, such as the population ratio of the area, the types of crimes, and other factors. In Dhaka, the larger number of police officers and police stations is due to the population ratio and the presence of embassies, NGOs, and other important government and private offices, which play a significant role in security. The police also play a key role in ensuring the security of these institutions. Dhaka is an administrative city where almost all administrative work is carried out. Moreover, the high number of police officers and stations in Dhaka may contribute to the city's lower crime rate per capita. However, Bangladesh Police is working in Dhaka and across the country to maintain law and order."