Editorial
Carjackings on the rise
Emphasis should be on prevention
The significant rise in carjackings in Dhaka and Chittagong reflects the immediate and urgent need for strict law enforcement.
It has been reported that the perpetrators are in a cycle of being arrested, being released on bail only to be back in action again. Some of them have been arrested over 30 times only to be released again. The crimes involved in these carjackings include theft of automobile parts and the vehicle itself, sometimes with the help of arms, ropes to strangle the drivers and chemicals or poisons to render the drivers unconscious or to kill them.
The cars once stolen are often used for crimes such as drug peddling, arms dealing and mugging.
What is in serious question here is whether in some way, some officials in the BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Authority) are in collusion with the perpetrators. Furthermore, many people from whom cars are stolen do not even bother to file police reports. It is perhaps this complacency which gives way to this vicious cycle. If the authorities become lax towards the criminals and citizens are simply content to recover their vehicles without being concerned about the larger problem at hand and filing police reports, how are these crimes to be curtailed in a systematic manner?
It is high time to implement stricter measures. One such example is the installation of global positioning systems (GPS) on all cars made mandatory by the government. Another measure of prevention could be the provision for safety kits for drivers and car owners, equipped with pepper spray. Also, installation by the police department of a carjacking hotline could be implemented. Stricter and preventive measures must be taken.
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