Two of Dhaka’s most densely populated informal settlements-Geneva Camp and Pallabi Bihari Camp-have rapidly transformed into the capital’s most volatile underworld hubs. Field investigations and intelligence reports reveal that these camps now host a heavily armed criminal ecosystem that is expanding under the cover of political turmoil and, according to investigators, benefiting from high-level political patronage. What is unfolding inside these enclaves poses a grave threat to public safety and to the stability of the capital.

Over the past year, the two camps have evolved into strongholds for armed groups, drug syndicates, extortion rings, and teenage gangs. Illegal stockpiles of weapons, active bomb-making factories, and near-daily shootouts have turned life into a nightmare for thousands of ordinary residents caught in the middle.

According to multiple intelligence agencies, the turning point came during the political unrest of July–August last year, when violent mobs looted weapons from police stations and outposts across Dhaka. A substantial portion of those seized arms-including LMGs, SMGs, Chinese rifles, pistols, and shotguns-was later transported into the Bihari camps.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, several high-profile criminals resurfaced and took refuge in these settlements, rebuilding their networks in partnership with local gangs. Since then, the camps have become the most dangerous crime zones in Dhaka-areas where heavily armed groups now operate openly and where looted government weapons are stockpiled with impunity.

Investigators warn that the camps are functioning as semi-autonomous criminal enclaves, shielded from police operations due to the dense physical layout of the settlements and alleged protection from senior BNP leaders. Intelligence sources specifically point to a prominent BNP central figure from Pallabi and individuals linked to Picchi Helal, a notorious 1990s gangster who now maintains close ties with BNP leadership in Mohammadpur.

Field correspondents report that weapons stolen during the 2024 unrest are openly visible in parts of Geneva Camp. Residents describe firearms stored casually beside house entrances or stacked inside small rooms controlled by local crime bosses.

Two notorious figures-Buniya Sohel and Chua Salim-are believed to control most of the armories. Their violent rivalry over drug routes, extortion money, and weapons distribution has resulted in frequent clashes, often erupting late at night and terrorizing the entire community.

Police attempts to recover the missing arms have largely failed. Despite issuing public reward notices twice, authorities have recovered only a fraction of the stolen weapons. Most of the heavy arms, officers admit privately, remain inside the two camps-protected by the labyrinthine environment and political pressure.

Perhaps the most alarming development is the presence of permanent bomb-making facilities inside Geneva Camp. Intelligence agencies confirm that Sector 4 and Sector 7 now host underground workshops producing hand grenades, improvised explosives, and high-powered cocktails daily.

The primary explosives maker, Jasim alias Kallu, is based in the Pallabi Bihari camp but travels to Geneva Camp whenever orders come in. Another bomb-maker, Kala Nawab, maintains a hidden presence by living outside the camp to avoid arrest.

Criminals have also integrated bomb-making into homes disguised as ordinary residences. Buniya Sohel and his brother Tuntun have built small multi-storey structures that appear normal from the street but hide what investigators call “secret kitchens” for manufacturing explosives.

Other criminals-Chua Selim, Picchi Raja, Ishtiaq, and Galkata Manu-have also established similar facilities, effectively turning Geneva Camp into one of the largest illegal explosives manufacturing hubs in Dhaka.

For families inside the camps, everyday life has deteriorated into a state of constant fear. Sounds of gunfire, grenade blasts, and clashes between rival groups echo through the cramped alleys night after night.

A woman living in Geneva Camp described the fear that grips the community:

“At night, we sit with the windows closed and the lights off. If they want, they can station someone near our home, and we don’t dare say anything.”

A shopkeeper explained the extortion system:

“You must pay them every month. If you don’t, they will burn your shop to ashes with a cocktail.”

Residents say teenage gangs openly display weapons, while stolen phones, yaba tablets, and illegal liquor are sold in front of everyone. No one dares approach the police.

A similar breakdown of order is evident in Pallabi Bihari Camp, where intelligence reports suggest that large sections of the settlement are now under the control of individuals linked to senior BNP leaders.

Multiple sources allege that associates of Aminul Haque, BNP’s central sports secretary and a key figure in Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP, are overseeing criminal operations inside the camp-coordinating extortion, drug trafficking, and weapons circulation through armed groups.

Locals say the police rarely enter. When they do, they stop at the camp’s entrance rather than risk confrontation with entrenched criminal networks.

One resident said:

“The police don’t come in. Even if they come, they don’t enter. Those who run the underworld are bigwigs.”

Security analysts warn that the combination of political instability, heavily armed criminal networks, and industrial-scale explosives production represents an unprecedented threat to Dhaka. The camps lie deep inside the capital-meaning even a small clash between rival groups could trigger a chain reaction capable of destabilizing the wider city.

Experts caution that unless law enforcement reasserts control over the camps, Dhaka may face a major security breakdown in the coming months.

Police officials say they are conducting targeted raids and have already identified several bomb-making facilities inside Geneva Camp. They insist legal action will be taken. But when asked about political protection allegedly shielding the criminals, senior officers declined to comment.

What is unfolding in Geneva and Pallabi Bihari Camps is no longer limited to criminal turf battles. It reflects a dangerous convergence of political shielding, armed militancy, explosive manufacturing, and law enforcement paralysis.

Unless swift and decisive action is taken, Dhaka’s security may deteriorate rapidly-and ordinary residents will continue to bear the brunt of a crisis created and protected far above their heads.

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