Deadly crimes a nationwide issue
We are alarmed by the rate at which serious crimes, many involving the use of firearms, are occurring nationwide. The situation is especially worse in certain areas, such as in Khulna’s Labanchara thana. According to a report by this daily, of the 24 murders recorded in Khulna city between January 1 and August 20 this year, six took place under Labanchara Police Station—the highest number among the city’s eight police stations—and all involved the use of firearms. In the same period, at least 20 people were injured during criminal incidents. Many of the incidents have been attributed to gang violence, and most involve young men. Unfortunately, the situation in Labanchara is not only a reflection of the same in Khulna, but indeed a pattern that is visible across the country.
In June, police reported that a staggering 915 murder cases occurred nationwide during March-May this year, with an average of 10 killings taking place each day. From Dhaka’s Mohammadpur to Chattogram’s Raozan upazila and Khulna’s Labanchara, there are too many crime hotspots for such incidents to be termed isolated. We know that crime saw an upsurge following the 2024 uprising when top criminals reemerged, policing weakened, and firearms entered the scene in huge numbers. But that was two years ago. With the BNP government recently completing six months in office, political changeups and tensions are hardly a good reason anymore behind the executive branch failing to address the prevalence of crime.
One also cannot ignore the observation that a lot of these crimes are still happening due to prisoners being released en masse after August 5, 2024, as many as 1,000 weapons still missing, and criminals attempting to reclaim their old turf. This has been public knowledge for many months while serious crimes continue to rise. Meanwhile, in cities and upazilas alike, ordinary citizens live in fear. In many areas, the situation is so intense that it hinders people’s daily activities and impacts their quality of life.
It is high time the government realised the seriousness of this issue and acted accordingly. Known criminals must be held accountable, not just arrested and then bailed out soon after. Police must also coordinate across the country to ensure that criminals don’t slip through the cracks in jurisdiction, such as highlighted in the case of Labanchara. After 15 years under an authoritarian regime and more than a year of instability, the people of the country deserve a peaceful law and order situation.
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