Crime spirals out of control: murders, muggings, extortion surge in Bangladesh

IGP says the current law and order situation is "not entirely unusual” and police efforts are ongoing to tackle crime

A young man named Sumon Sheikh, who lost his left wrist in a machete attack in Dhaka's Adabor, has alleged that he was a "victim of mugging”.

However, police claimed that the incident resulted from a clash between two criminal groups.

Regardless of the cause, such incidents in broad daylight highlight the lax state of police security measures.

On Jan 28, just two days before Sumon's attack, another young man, Minhazur Rahman, was stabbed to death outside Dania University College in Dhaka.

Knife and machete attacks have become a daily occurrence across the capital and other parts of the country, leading to growing fear among residents.

The surge in muggings has made Dhaka’s streets increasingly unsafe, with many afraid to venture out after dark.

Rickshaw-puller Sheikh Chunnu, who has been working in the city for over 15 years, described the worsening situation. "In just 15 days of January, two of my passengers were mugged in the Kakrail and Paltan areas," he said.

“I have been driving a rickshaw in Dhaka day and night for 17-18 years, but I have never seen such a bad situation. There was theft and mugging before, but now it has increased significantly,” said Chunnu, a native of Faridpur’s Nagarkanda who stays at a rickshaw garage in Kamrangirchar.

"In the past, I used to save my earnings for 15-20 days and send money home at once. Now, I can’t even carry a day's income with me. Either I leave it in the garage or send it home immediately," he added.

Firoz Ahmed, a private sector employee who commutes from Badda to Motijheel for work, also shared his concerns.

He told bdnews24.com, "I often have to leave the office late at night. Earlier, if I saw traffic congestion while leaving the office, I would often start walking. But with the current situation, many people I know have been mugged.

“Now, even travelling by rickshaw or CNG-powered autorickshaws feels risky.”

Incidents of attacks on police personnel, whose primary responsibility is to maintain law and order, are also occurring in some parts of Bangladesh.

On Jan 14 night, a police checkpoint in Chattogram’s Chandgaon came under attack, leaving Sub Inspector Habibur Rahman, Assistant Sub-Inspector Asit Nath, and constables Abdul Sattar, Amirul Islam, and Farid Sheikh injured.

Following the incident, police arrested two suspects, Morshed Khan and Md Karim, the next day.

Assistant Commissioner (Panchlaish Zone) Arif Hossain of Chattogram Metropolitan Police told bdnews24.com, “The two arrestees were coming from Boalkhali in an autorickshaw. When police signalled them to stop at the checkpoint in Mohora, they became agitated and started arguing with police.

“At one point pushed the police personnel and beat them with belts.”

Several members of the force expressed their constant fear of such attacks while on duty.

According to them, carrying out their responsibilities has become even more challenging than before.

Following the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 2024, a series of attacks on police stations and installations broke out across the country.

Many stations were vandalised and looted.

Efforts to reorganise the police force have been under way following the disarray, with reform initiatives in progress.

To maintain law and order, the army has been granted arrest powers, and joint force operations have been ongoing for some time.

Amid this, a new joint operation, Operation Devil Hunt, started on Sunday.

However, this cannot be described as a routine law enforcement measure.

It involves the army, navy, air force, police, Border Guard Bangladesh, or BGB, Ansar, and Coast Guard personnel, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam confirmed.

When asked about the goals of the operation, Home Advisor Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said: "What does ‘devil’ mean? It refers to evil forces. This operation is aimed at those who try to destabilise the country, break the law, engage in criminal activities, and commit acts of terrorism."

DOES DATA REFLECT REALITY?

Despite several initiatives by the interim government to restore a sense of security, the surge in murders, robberies, muggings, and extortion has made it clear that law and order are deteriorating.

Even senior police officials have not denied this worsening situation.

They say that before the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, the police force was much more "organised" than it is now.

Police personnel have yet to regain their previous morale, making the current law-and-order situation "not entirely unusual”.

However, statistics from the Police Headquarters show no increase in crime compared with the previous year.

Crime analysts, on the other hand, challenge these figures, arguing that official data fails to capture the full reality.

They believe the current "go-slow" approach of law enforcing agencies has created gaps that criminals are exploiting. Because of this, victims often hesitate to approach police for help.

Experts argue that the only way to tackle this situation is through stronger enforcement of laws and improved coordination among law-enforcing agencies.

POLICE HEADQUARTERS DATA

According to the Police Headquarters, 204 murder cases were filed nationwide in December.

The highest number was in the Dhaka Range, with 45 cases, followed by 24 under the jurisdiction of the DMP.

That same month, 13,622 cases were filed across the country, with 1,585 in Dhaka alone. Among these, there were 39 snatching cases, 9 robberies, 131 thefts, and 529 drug-related cases.

In November, the total number of murder cases stood at 211, with the Dhaka Range again leading at 56, while the DMP recorded 13.

A total of 13,827 cases were filed nationwide that month, including 1,324 in Dhaka. The city saw 27 snatching incidents, 125 thefts, and 421 drug cases.

The numbers were even higher in October, with 249 murders reported.

Dhaka Range recorded the highest number at 62, while DMP registered 20 cases.

The total number of cases nationwide that month was 13,265, with Dhaka recording 1,248. Mugging cases stood at 20, while 6 were for robbery and 97 for theft.

Chattogram Range had the second-highest murder count in December, with 32 cases. It also topped case filings that month, recording 2,170 cases.

Within metropolitan areas, Chattogram city police registered 338 cases, including 4 murders.

In November, Chattogram Range again reported 32 murders, with a total of 2,271 cases filed. The city saw two murders that month, with 376 cases in total.

In October, Chattogram Range was again second in murder counts, with 52 cases, and 2,225 cases in total. The city reported six murders, contributing to 356 total cases.

In December 2023, during the lead-up to the general elections, Bangladesh recorded 233 murders among 14,483 total cases.

In November, there were 227 murders and 13,681 cases, while in October, 258 murders were reported out of 15,989 total cases.

Despite concerns over deteriorating law and order on the ground, police data suggests crime rates have decreased compared with the same period last year.

Dhaka University’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research Associate Professor Tawohidul Haque told bdnews24.com, “Our entire state mechanism operates in a way where denial or avoidance is common. As a result, victims often don’t feel comfortable seeking police intervention. This has always been the case, but it’s gotten worse lately.”

"People often ignore incidents like theft, mugging, extortion, or threats over business disputes. That’s why the number of cases doesn’t align with what people are actually experiencing,” he added.

CRIMINALS OUT ON BAIL, SURGE IN VIOLENCE

On Jan 20, Manjurul Islam, also known as Babu, was hacked to death in Dhaka’s Pallabi. Police later said Babu, a known “criminal”, was infamous as “Blade Babu”.

The murder has been linked to another “top criminal” in Dhaka, Sumon Shikdar, alias Musa.

Musa had previously fled to Oman after being implicated in the assassination of Awami League leader Zahidul Islam Tipu in Motijheel on March 24, 2022.

DMP’s Detective Branch tracked him down and brought him back on Jun 9 that same year, identifying him as a key plotter in Tipu’s murder.

However, five months into the recent power shift, Musa secured bail on January 3—only to be linked to yet another murder weeks later.

Babu was killed due to a turf war between the gang led by top criminal Mofizur Rahman, alias Mamun, and Musa’s group over dominance in the Pallabi area.

Musa was also an associate of Prokash-Bikash, two of the 23 top criminals listed by the home ministry on Dec 26, 2001.

The investigating officer of the Babu murder case, Additional Deputy Commissioner of DB Mirpur Division Sonahar Ali Sharif, told bdnews24.com, “So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the murder. We are verifying the information provided by them.”

On Jan 10, a group of 10-12 men indiscriminately hacked and injured computer traders Ehtesamul Haque and Wahidul Hasan Dipu outside Multiplan Centre on Dhaka’s Elephant Road.

Following the attack, Wahidul, president of the Elephant Road Computer Traders' Welfare Association, filed an attempted murder case with the New Market Police Station.

The case named “top criminal” Sanjidul Islam, alias Emon, and 10 others, while 20-25 unidentified people were also accused.

It alleges the accused had been demanding extortion from Multiplan Centre traders since Aug 5, 2025. Those who refused to pay were allegedly threatened and intimidated.

Emon was released on bail on Aug 16. A day earlier, another “top criminal”, Imamul Hasan Helal, alias Pichchi Helal, had secured bail after two decades in prison.

Helal is the elder brother of Dipu, who was injured in the Jan 10 attack.

In connection with the incident, police arrested BNP’s student wing leader Mohammad Hossain Mithun from the 300 Feet area in Dhaka on Jan 24.

However, as soon as officers brought him to New Market Police Station, around 50 of his supporters launched an attack, attempting to free him.

Following the arrests of seven suspects in separate cases over the attack on police, the authorities said student leader Mithun is a follower of criminal Emon.

He allegedly collected extortion money in Dhanmondi on Emon’s behalf.

Although Emon is currently abroad, the incident outside the Multiplan Centre was reportedly an outcome of the ongoing rivalry between the Pichchi Helal and Emon groups over territorial dominance and extortion.

New Market Police Station chief Mohsin Uddin, said, "Many others involved in the attack on police following Mithun’s arrest are also under police surveillance.”

Regarding the bail of such criminals, Muhammad Omar Faruk, chairman of the Department of Crime and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, told Bdnews24.com: "This is precisely our concern. No matter the legal justifications, granting bail indiscriminately can never be acceptable.

"The potential threats to public safety should have been carefully assessed before releasing such criminals on bail."

MEMBERS OF LAW-ENFORCING AGENCIES INVOLVED IN CRIMES

On Jan 21, police arrested four suspects, including two army personnel, while they were allegedly preparing for a robbery in Dhaka’s Moghbazar.

Banani Police Station chief Russell Sarwar said among the detainees, one was a corporal and the other a soldier. They have been handed over to the military army. The other two included a driver and a police informant.

Several others were reportedly involved in the incident, but they managed to escape when they noticed police’s presence.

According to police, several items were recovered from the suspects, including press identification cards, a microphone, army uniforms, footwear, and a microbus.

When asked about the arrest of the two army members, Inter-Services Public Relations, or ISPR, Director Lt Col Sami Ud Doula Chowdhury said action is being taken under military law.

The previous morning, a Bangladeshi expatriate arriving from Dubai claimed being attacked by “robbers” posing as police officers while returning home with his family.

Monika Sarker, 25, sustained injuries during the attack and received medical treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Earlier, on Jan 14, three people, including a former police member, were caught in the act of robbery while impersonating officers.

Hatirjheel Police Station chief Mohammad Raju told bdnews24.com that one of the suspects, Mohammad Hakim Uddin, had been dismissed from the police force in 2022.

“During the arrest, police uniforms, shoes, and two motorcycles, among other items, were seized from them."

On Oct 11, 2024, a gang dressed in army and RAB uniforms raided a house in Mohammadpur, stealing Tk 7.5 million and 70 tolas of gold jewellery.

WHAT SHOULD POLICE DO, WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN?

Six months have passed since an interim government took control of the country following the fall of the Awami League government.

After the protests, efforts have been made to restore police patrols and security in different areas. However, the deteriorating law and order situation remains a concern.

Prof Omar Faruk told bdnews24.com, “Police are not fully able to be active at the moment. Criminals are now running rampant.”

He recommended swift enforcement measures. "Authorities must keep a close watch on known offenders.

“In addition, police surveillance across neighbourhoods should be intensified, and intelligence units must be more proactive."

DMP spokesman Talebur said, “We are taking steps to curb criminal activity.

“Over the past few months, the overall crime ratio has declined, though the number of cases has increased in some instances.

"However, we are recording the incidents that come to our attention as cases and arresting those involved in crimes. We hope the situation will improve further," he added.

CMP Commissioner Hasib Aziz told bdnews24.com, "We have taken several measures to maintain law and order. An Open House Day programme has been introduced, and preventive arrests have been increased.

“Actions are being taken regarding all types of cases, while operations against mugging and drug-related crimes are ongoing."

IGP Baharul admitted that the force has not yet regained its expected organisational strength.

“Society went through a major upheaval, and police were among the most affected. We have already retired 45-46 personnel.

"As a result, the entire organization has somewhat become scattered. But that doesn't mean we will sit idle. We must strive to become as active as we were before. This is what I am trying to do in different ways."

Referring to media reports suggesting that some important positions within the force have been occupied by individuals with fascist ties, the police chief said: “I still see officers serving as [officer-in-charge] in some stations. The process of screening them out is a challenging task, but we are doing it gradually. We are also working on motivating them.”

He remarked that “disturbing reports” have come in regarding Dhaka at night, and in response, they are conducting monitoring during the night. His senior officers are ensuring that the patrols are active.

"This is how we ensure the patrols remain active. We are focusing on these tasks. While we don’t expect to resolve everything immediately, we haven’t just been sitting idle," the IGP concluded.

[Writing in English by Sheikh Fariha Bristy]