Dhaka, April 23 (IANS) As public concerns over law and order intensify, Bangladesh is witnessing an alarming surge in violent crime, with murders increasing by 14 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, local media reported citing police data.

According to an editorial in leading Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune, the recent stabbing of a doctor in the capital’s Mohakhali area on Monday afternoon is just one among a series of such incidents reflecting a rising sense of insecurity across the country.

“The rise in violent crime erodes public trust in law enforcement and undermines social stability. Especially at a time when the Iran war is threatening energy security and raising the cost of living, citizens deserve to at least feel safe in their homes, workplaces, and communities,” it mentioned.

The report stressed that brazen attacks are occurring with greater frequency, while the most troubling concern is the perception of impunity that continues to persist. It noted that criminal networks thrive “when policing is weak, investigations are slow, and justice is delayed” – conditions that have become entrenched in the system. Without prompt accountability, it warned, crime becomes normalised, and fear turns into part of daily life.

Asserting that rising crime across Bangladesh goes beyond mere law and order issues, the report said that it has become a growing threat to “economic growth, social cohesion, and national stability”.

“The surge in murders and violent attacks in 2026 must serve as a wake-up call for the government to act decisively, ensuring that law enforcement serves the public interest and that justice is swift and certain,” it emphasised.

Rumeen Farhana, a Bangladeshi independent lawmaker, has slammed Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, saying mob attacks persist despite his repeated assurances that such incidents would no longer be tolerated in the country.

Speaking in a parliamentary session on Monday, Rumeen said, “The Home Minister is present here. Not once, not twice, but several times he assured us that mob culture would no longer exist in Bangladesh,” The Daily Star reported.

“The minister assured all that the culture of impunity would end and people would get justice. Yet we have seen one mob attack after another continue across the country.”

Bangladesh has witnessed escalating mob attacks during the 18-month tenure of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, with the critics warning such incidents continue unabated under the current dispensation despite repeated assurances of restoring order.

–IANS

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