A gold jewelry businessman was brutally attacked and robbed in Dhaka’s Rampura area on the night of February 23. A group of five to six men, armed with a gun and machetes, are reported to have assaulted him as he returned home from work. They beat him up and then shot at him before looting his belongings, including 200 carats of gold. Shocking footage of the incident quickly went viral on social media, showing the victim surrendering his belongings in a desperate bid to save his life.
Less than 24 hours later, a violent confrontation erupted between local residents and Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) personnel in Cox’s Bazar, approximately 397 km from Dhaka, resulting in the death of a civilian. The victim’s father alleged that the BAF personnel were forcibly evicting locals to expand the air force base, and shot his son dead. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department’s version of things, a group of locals attacked the air base. Security forces fired in response but did not use live ammunition. The deceased was killed as a result of stone throwing during the altercation, the ISPR said.
Since the political transition on August 5 last year, Bangladesh has experienced a sharp rise in violent crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, and burglary. Major cities and towns have become hotspots for crime, with incidents escalating daily. Fear has gripped the public, with many avoiding the streets after dark due to the growing lawlessness.
Official data from the Police Headquarters reflects this alarming trend. In January 2025 alone, 294 murder cases were registered across various police stations, a sharp rise from 231 in January 2024. The figures were 214, 264, 257 and 273 in the corresponding month of the previous four years, highlighting a steady increase in violent crime. Robbery cases surged to 171 in January 2025, up from 114 in the same month of the previous year. Abduction cases more than doubled compared to January 2024, while mugging and robbery incidents hit a record high, with 242 cases reported in a single month.
In addition, between August and November last year, a total of 205 robberies and 464 kidnappings along with 2,237 murder cases were reported across the country. During this period, Dhaka alone recorded 379 murder cases, 65 kidnappings, and 15 robberies. Additionally, 340 cases of home theft were filed in the capital.
The worsening situation has raised serious concerns about the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government’s ability to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters assembled at Dhaka University on February 23-24, calling for the immediate resignation of Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the interim government’s advisor on home affairs, for his inaction and failure to control rising crime.
In an emergency press briefing, Chowdhury attributed the worsening law and order situation to members of the Awami League.
Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md. Motaher Hossain has revealed that during the July-August uprising, 2,200 prisoners escaped from different prisons across the country. While 1,500 have been rearrested, at least 700 remain at large. Among the fugitives, 70 are classified as high-risk criminals and include militants, death row convicts, and top-tier criminals.
Additionally, 174 prisoners have been released on bail, including 11 top criminals who are operating without any restrictions, emboldened by the lack of surveillance and legal oversight. They are making their presence felt again, showing their strength and rebuilding their networks. Alongside old gangs, new ones are being formed, and even juvenile gangs are growing under their protection. Although Police and Detective Branch teams are arresting criminals, they are being released on bail and usually return to crime.
Extortion is widespread. Criminals are demanding money from businesses, government officials, small traders, private hospitals, and even street vendors.
Crime is rising despite the launch of “Operation Devil Hunt,” a joint-force operation involving the Bangladesh Army, to restore law and order. Between February 8 and 28, more than 7,000 persons have been arrested. However, the crime rate is not decreasing.
A.B.M. Najmus Sakib, associate professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Dhaka, says that the law and order situation is deteriorating largely because of the absence of effective policing. Criminals now sense that they will not have to face the consequences of violating the law.
On the day the Awami League government fell, the Bangladesh Police too collapsed. Fearing the wrath of mobs, policemen fled, leaving almost all police stations deserted.
Now the government is trying to revive the police force. But the process is moving slowly. Additionally, the release of high-profile criminals on bail and the escape of notorious militants and death-row inmates from various prisons have further fueled the crisis.
According to Dr. Tawohidul Haque, associate professor and crime analyst at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, police morale has significantly declined. Their brutal crackdowns on protesters last July resulted in over 1,400 deaths, leading to police being perceived as enemies of the people — a sentiment that persists to date. This has made officers hesitant to perform their duties.
After the fall of the Awami League government, many officers who had been sidelined for years due to political bias, were transferred to key positions. These officers now face resistance from lower-ranking officers still loyal to the previous administration. This and the fact that informer networks on the ground are inactive has hampered their capacity to deal with crime. “Even criminals don’t fear the police anymore,” Haque said.
According to Haque, many police personnel are of the view that the courts need to coordinate with the police before granting bail to high-profile criminals. This would make it easier for police to monitor the criminals’ movements, he said.
The crime wave sweeping Bangladesh highlights the need for comprehensive law enforcement reforms. Unless action is taken quickly, public safety will remain vulnerable. Moreover, faith in the interim government is eroding.
In addition to these institutional changes, a political solution—free and fair elections and the establishment of a political government—may be helpful to address the underlying governance issues fueling the crisis.
