Weak policing fuelling rise in crimes

Crime has been surging over the last few months. Police’s own records show 915 murder cases all over the country in the last three months, averaging more than 10 murders a day, according to a report in The Daily Star. These are horrifying statistics and should deeply worry the government that has come to power with a mandate to bring about, among other things, peace and order in the country.

During the post-uprising period, many top criminals returned to the scene, while illegal firearms were smuggled in. Besides, many stolen weapons had not been retrieved. These criminals have now become emboldened further by weak policing, political rivalries, and factional feuds, which provide them with “jobs” that pay generously.

Targeted killings, some in broad daylight, have created an atmosphere of fear among citizens. On June 13, Jubo Dal leader Masudul Haque Chowdhury was gunned down in broad daylight by several armed men at a crowded market in Chattogram’s Raozan upazila. CCTV footage showed the boldness with which they arrived at the scene, scaring off the crowd by firing shots in the air. Raozan is now known as a “terror zone” among its residents. Muggings, too, have increased, leading to severe injuries or even death. Only a few days ago, a woman was mugged in front of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka and later died from the injuries she sustained when muggers tried to snatch her bag, making her fall from the rickshaw she was on. Dhaka seems to be the crime capital, recording the highest number of murders—207 cases—followed by Chattogram, Rajshahi, and Khulna. Certain residential areas, such as Mohammadpur, have become dens for gangs to operate in.

Since May 1, police have arrested 18,000 people under a special drive, but this has done little to improve the law and order situation. Why is that? It is because all the factors that have allowed criminals to thrive continue to exist. More than 1,000 stolen firearms are still missing; firearms are still smuggled in; and criminals continue to operate freely, often under political patronage. Many criminals released after August 2024 have reclaimed their territory, rebuilding their networks and continuing crimes, which include taking revenge on rival gangs. But often, no arrests are being made. According to Human Rights Support Society, there have been 64 incidents of political violence in May, leaving five people dead and 289 injured. In April, there were 98 incidents with six dead and 533 injured. Many of these incidents involved BNP men.

Experts have reiterated that unless the police force is reorganised and reformed, and political patronage of criminals abandoned, law and order will persist in this precarious state. The government should heed such advice and immediately take steps to revitalise the police force through necessary reforms and give clear directives to clamp down on crime without being influenced by anyone.