ID numbers for tenants in Dhaka, says Dhaka metro police chief

Police will assign identity numbers for all Dhaka residents who live in rented facilities, says Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia.

“Every tenant will have a unique ID number, so police will be able to monitor any shift to other accommodation,” he said adding that they were creating a database for tenants.
 
The issue became important after revelations that the Gulshan cafe killers had been staying in a rented apartment before launching the Jul 1 attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen Restaurant.
 
Three weeks after the terror strike, police came under attack while trying to search an apartment at the capital’s Kalaynpur.
 
A gun battle erupted when nine suspected militants, who had rented the apartment a few days ago, were shot dead.
 
A North South University teacher has been arrested for not keeping tenant information of an apartment he owned, which the Gulshan attackers allegedly used.
 
A landlord from Dhaka’s Shewraparha has been detained for similar charges while the wife of the Kalyanpur building’s owner has been also arrested.
 
That led to landlords in the city refusing accommodation to bachelors, according to media reports.
 
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mia said on Saturday that the police have initiated measures to create a database of tenants.
 
Speaking at the re-launching of the DMP’s website, he urged citizens to cooperate with police and also to report if the law-enforcers harass citizens.
 
“We are working to provide security for the citizens and for combating terrorism. But, we will definitely ensure that the people are not being harassed in that process,” said Mia.