Dhaka, June 19 (IANS) Bangladesh is grappling with worsening law and order concerns amid a surge in shootings, targeted killings, and armed attacks linked to political feuds and underworld rivalries, with police registering 915 murder cases across the country in three months — a daily average of more than 10 killings, local media reported.

Citing analysts, Bangladesh’s newspaper ‘The Daily Star’ reported that the surge in violence is being driven by the proliferation of illegal firearms, weak policing, and the return of notorious criminals following the 2024 political transition. Analysts contend that political rivalries and factional feuds have spilt onto the streets, with gangs increasingly being used as instruments of power, triggering targeted attacks across the country.

According to the Police Headquarters data, 915 murder cases were recorded during the three-month period, including 317 in March, shortly after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) assumed office; 288 in April; and 310 in May.

The data showed that with 207 murder cases, Dhaka Range topped the list during the period, followed by Chattogram with 186 cases, Rajshahi with 106, and Khulna with 84. Additionally, the Dhaka metropolitan area also recorded the highest number of murders among metropolitan regions, with 57 cases.

The continued incidence of murders and brazen criminal acts in broad daylight has heightened concerns about public safety and law and order across the country.

“We don’t feel safe. Killings, shootings, and muggings have become alarmingly frequent. People expect safety and security, but it appears the law-and-order situation has not improved despite repeated assurances,” The Daily Star quoted Khairul Hasan, a resident of Mohammadpur in Dhaka, as saying.

Omar Faruk, a professor in the department of criminology and police science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University in Tangail district, criticised the government for its failure to restore order.

“The law and order situation has not yet reached the level we had expected,” Faruk said, pointing to the lack of reforms within law enforcement agencies.

Faruk stated that the authorities have failed to recover over 1,000 weapons missing from police stations, while illegal arms smuggling continues unabated. He alleged that many criminals released after August 5, 2024, remain in possession of weapons and carry out criminal activities under political patronage.

He further said the criminals have been emboldened by a lenient approach of law enforcement agencies, believing they can act with impunity. He also alleged links between these criminals and influential figures at the highest levels.

Violence has intensified since the political changeover in August 2024, law enforcement officials said, citing the return of several notorious gang leaders and convicted offenders to the streets after their release from prison or return from abroad.

–IANS

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