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Police have conducted a sweeping operation to restore overall discipline and security in the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area. This action comes in response to widespread reactions generated by an exclusive video report broadcast by BD24Live for public interest. On July 2, BD24Live published an exclusive video report titled ‘Airport Footover Bridge: Another Name for Expat Suffering’. Immediately after its publication, the news created a significant stir on social media, having been viewed by over 9 million people to date. Furthermore, 63,000 people shared it, and approximately 7,000 readers commented, expressing their anger and distress. The video depicted various forms of harassment and suffering faced by expatriates at the hands of vagrants and beggars on the footover bridge and surrounding areas while commuting to and from the airport. Following the public outrage and attention drawn to the administration, the Airport Police Station sprang into action.
Today, Saturday (July 4), this special operation was conducted in the airport roundabout, BRTA station, airport railway station area, police box, airport entrance, and surrounding areas including the VVIP and VIP roads. During the operation, a total of 82 individuals were arrested by the Airport Police Station to curb the menace of vagrants, beggars, and drug addicts.
The Airport Police Station stated that the airport is the country’s main gateway. Under no circumstances will vagrants, beggars, and drug addicts be allowed to stay here and undermine the country’s image or compromise the safety of expatriates. Police patrol activities have now been intensified throughout the entire area, and the overall law and order situation is completely normal.
Niaz Mehedi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, informed that special attention has been given to the protection of children among those arrested in the operation. Necessary legal and rehabilitation measures will be taken for the protection of arrested children, in accordance with the Children Act, 2013, through ‘child affairs police officers’. The general public believes that BD24Live’s investigative report, published in the public interest, played a significant role in ensuring safe travel for expatriates and maintaining a disciplined environment in the airport area.