Law and order has deteriorated sharply in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country in past few weeks with crimes like mugging, extortion and burglary on the rise despite stepped-up security measures and police vigilance.
Experts and human rights activists said the situation was far from satisfactory while the government and law enforcement agencies claimed the situation was not so worrying.
Admitting that law and order had not improved significantly, home secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told New Age. ‘We have put in every effort to maintain law and order and the law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been kept prepared to tackle crimes.’
‘Vested quarters are active to destabilise the situation, but we are aware of the plots and prepared to thwart them. We are passing through a crucial time as the process for war crimes trial is underway. Some quarters seem to have chosen the time to try to destabilise law and order…,’ he said.
In last 24 hours, three incidents of shooting took place in the capital in which two people, including a ward unit leader of the ruling Awami League, were killed.
Unidentified assailants shot dead Ibrahim Ahmed, 40, an activist of city ward 56 unit of Awami League on Friday night.
Police said some people took the body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by a microbus and disappeared leaving the body at the emergency department.
Soon after the AL-led alliance assumed office, the ruling party men, including the Bangladesh Chhatra League and Juba League men engaged in tender manipulation in different ministries and departments and occupying university halls and college hostels.
Lax security measures paved the way for rampant extortion, mugging, robbery and drugs peddling while increasing activities of the outlawed groups in the south-western region caused worries among the people.
On Friday morning, extortionists shot and injured three drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaws in the city’s Rampura area in broad daylight as they refused to pay them money.
A businessman, shot at by extortionists in the city’s Maghbazar area Thursday for refusing to pay them money, died in Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Friday.
Gangsters stabbed a contractor Raju Ahmed, 48, leaving him critically injured at Seikhpara Bazar in Sadar upazila of Kushtia after failing to extort money from him on Friday.
A youth forced his way into the residence of a schoolgirl and stabbed her to death at Tongi on the fringe of the capital on Wednesday evening before attempting to kill himself after her refusal to his overtures.
The victim, Nasrin Sultana, 14, was a student of class VIII at Shamsuddin Memorial School at Morkun in the town, while the youth was identified as Omar Faruk, 24.
On the same day, a mob beat six dacoits to death after they allegedly tried to commit a robbery at Chhatirchar Bazar at Sripur in Gazipur.
Armed robbers looted cash and valuables worth about Taka 2.25 lakh from Khidmah Hospital Limited at Khilgaon in the capital in broad daylight on Wednesday.
The robbers held the manager of the hospital’s pharmacy hostage at gunpoint and looted the cash and two cellphone sets.
Three policemen, including a sub-inspector, were killed on the night of July 20 reportedly by operatives of an ultra-left outfit in a remote village of Bera in Pabna.
Besides, incidents of extortion over phone and by sending letters have also increased in past few weeks. In a few such incidents the gangsters, after being refused payment, shot at the security guards or employees of their targeted persons.
On Monday, bus owners of southern districts went on an indefinite strike in protest at rampant extortion by the ruling party men at Faridpur but withdrew the strike after being assured by the authorities concerned that steps would be taken to stop extortion.
Inspector general of police Nur Mohammad told New Age that police remained vigilant and the situation was improving thanks to the assistance from the countrymen as well as the government’s determination to tackle crimes.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque told New Age, ‘Police and different intelligence agencies have been asked to patrol the city streets round the clock… We have geared up efforts to ensure security of the city dwellers in Ramadan.’
He sought co-operation from all in curbing snatching, looting and extortion by informing the lawmen of such crimes.
Rapid Action Battalion’s director general Hassan Mahmud Khandker told New Age, ‘We have beefed up security measures, set up additional checkpoints, increased patrol and vigilance and achieved successes in action against militants. We have deployed forces at every important establishment to ensure security of the city dwellers.’
He also said some quarters were trying to create chaos in the country over the issue of garment workers’ wage.
Experts and human rights activists said the situation was far from satisfactory while the government and law enforcement agencies claimed the situation was not so worrying.
Admitting that law and order had not improved significantly, home secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told New Age. ‘We have put in every effort to maintain law and order and the law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been kept prepared to tackle crimes.’
‘Vested quarters are active to destabilise the situation, but we are aware of the plots and prepared to thwart them. We are passing through a crucial time as the process for war crimes trial is underway. Some quarters seem to have chosen the time to try to destabilise law and order…,’ he said.
In last 24 hours, three incidents of shooting took place in the capital in which two people, including a ward unit leader of the ruling Awami League, were killed.
Unidentified assailants shot dead Ibrahim Ahmed, 40, an activist of city ward 56 unit of Awami League on Friday night.
Police said some people took the body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by a microbus and disappeared leaving the body at the emergency department.
Soon after the AL-led alliance assumed office, the ruling party men, including the Bangladesh Chhatra League and Juba League men engaged in tender manipulation in different ministries and departments and occupying university halls and college hostels.
Lax security measures paved the way for rampant extortion, mugging, robbery and drugs peddling while increasing activities of the outlawed groups in the south-western region caused worries among the people.
On Friday morning, extortionists shot and injured three drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaws in the city’s Rampura area in broad daylight as they refused to pay them money.
A businessman, shot at by extortionists in the city’s Maghbazar area Thursday for refusing to pay them money, died in Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Friday.
Gangsters stabbed a contractor Raju Ahmed, 48, leaving him critically injured at Seikhpara Bazar in Sadar upazila of Kushtia after failing to extort money from him on Friday.
A youth forced his way into the residence of a schoolgirl and stabbed her to death at Tongi on the fringe of the capital on Wednesday evening before attempting to kill himself after her refusal to his overtures.
The victim, Nasrin Sultana, 14, was a student of class VIII at Shamsuddin Memorial School at Morkun in the town, while the youth was identified as Omar Faruk, 24.
On the same day, a mob beat six dacoits to death after they allegedly tried to commit a robbery at Chhatirchar Bazar at Sripur in Gazipur.
Armed robbers looted cash and valuables worth about Taka 2.25 lakh from Khidmah Hospital Limited at Khilgaon in the capital in broad daylight on Wednesday.
The robbers held the manager of the hospital’s pharmacy hostage at gunpoint and looted the cash and two cellphone sets.
Three policemen, including a sub-inspector, were killed on the night of July 20 reportedly by operatives of an ultra-left outfit in a remote village of Bera in Pabna.
Besides, incidents of extortion over phone and by sending letters have also increased in past few weeks. In a few such incidents the gangsters, after being refused payment, shot at the security guards or employees of their targeted persons.
On Monday, bus owners of southern districts went on an indefinite strike in protest at rampant extortion by the ruling party men at Faridpur but withdrew the strike after being assured by the authorities concerned that steps would be taken to stop extortion.
Inspector general of police Nur Mohammad told New Age that police remained vigilant and the situation was improving thanks to the assistance from the countrymen as well as the government’s determination to tackle crimes.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque told New Age, ‘Police and different intelligence agencies have been asked to patrol the city streets round the clock… We have geared up efforts to ensure security of the city dwellers in Ramadan.’
He sought co-operation from all in curbing snatching, looting and extortion by informing the lawmen of such crimes.
Rapid Action Battalion’s director general Hassan Mahmud Khandker told New Age, ‘We have beefed up security measures, set up additional checkpoints, increased patrol and vigilance and achieved successes in action against militants. We have deployed forces at every important establishment to ensure security of the city dwellers.’
He also said some quarters were trying to create chaos in the country over the issue of garment workers’ wage.
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