‘Gotham however no Batman’: Crime wave grips Dhaka 6 months after Hasina fled

When Maydul Hassan was first mugged, he thought he had hit all-time low. However inside every week, the 21-year-old scholar was battered and robbed once more – this time, in entrance of the police, who, in line with Hassan, stood by and did nothing.

Hassan, who participated in final yr’s student-led rebellion that helped unseat longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now wonders what the nation he risked his life for has became. “That is what I received in return,” he stated. “The nation is drowning in crime, nobody appears to care.”

On February 13, a bunch of males ambushed him at about 10pm, whereas he was returning residence from his part-time job at a tech agency within the capital’s Mirpur space. The attackers took his Pixel 4XL telephone, pockets, college ID and headphones.

Days later, on February 18, he was overwhelmed and robbed. The assailants snatched the brand new Google Pixel 7 telephone he had simply purchased on a $400 mortgage, then mocked him as he pleaded with them to return it.

The police have been stationed solely metres away, Hassan stated. “I cried, I begged, however the police did nothing.”

When Hassan later tried to file a criticism on the close by police station, an area man claiming to be a member of Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal, the scholar wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP), one of many primary opposition events that has gained affect since Hasina’s ouster, intervened. “You don’t have to file this. I’ll discover your telephone,” the person assured him, escorting him exterior – after which demanded cash in return.

Determined, Hassan withdrew and handed over 3,500 Bangladeshi taka ($29) from a close-by ATM. He quickly realised he had been tricked. The person, he later found, had additionally been a part of Hasina’s scholar wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) – an all-too-common case of political opportunism the place members of fallen events shift loyalties in a single day to align with these in energy.

Hassan ultimately filed a criticism on-line, a duplicate of which he confirmed to Al Jazeera, however no police motion has adopted.

“I dwell in a rustic the place, whilst a sufferer, I’m harassed inside a police station. Criminals stroll freely, flexing their energy in entrance of officers, and the police do nothing. I begged in entrance of them, and all they did was watch,” Hassan wrote in a Fb publish that went viral in a single day.

Ali Ahmed Masud, the chief of Dhanmondi Police Station, the place Hassan had gone, insisted that nobody was obstructed from lodging a criticism. “From my understanding, there could have been an settlement that the telephone can be returned, which is why he initially selected to not file a Common Diary [police complaint],” Masud stated.

“However later, when he did file one, we’re actively working to recuperate the telephone and take actions in opposition to the muggers.”

Nonetheless, Masud didn’t touch upon the allegation that law enforcement officials stood by with out intervening whereas Hassan was being attacked. “It hasn’t come to my information but. I’ll look into it,” Masud stated.

Security on edge

Hassan’s ordeal shouldn’t be an remoted case. Bangladesh, residence to 170 million individuals, is experiencing its worst crime wave in years. Because the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s authorities, the streets have grown more and more perilous. In January 2025 alone, police reported 242 circumstances of mugging and theft – the best quantity in six years – throughout Bangladesh.

At the very least 294 murders have been recorded in January 2025, in contrast with 231 in the identical month the earlier yr. Robberies surged from 114 to 171, and abductions greater than doubled. Police information additionally present a pointy rise in muggings, robberies and abductions in November and December final yr, surpassing figures from the identical interval over the earlier 5 years.

“The figures are alarming,” stated Najmus Sakib, a criminology assistant professor at Dhaka College. “Individuals fought for democracy, however now they’re afraid to step exterior their houses. That doesn’t give a optimistic signal concerning the state of our legislation enforcement.”

Nonetheless, retired Lieutenant Common Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, who’s in command of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Residence Affairs, retired Lieutenant Common Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, has dismissed these considerations, claiming that the federal government is appropriately coping with the rising crime charge.

“You’ll really feel tonight that our legislation enforcement actions have elevated considerably,” Chowdhury instructed reporters throughout an emergency information convention at 3am on February 24 – hours after a wave of muggings in several components of Dhaka sparked panic amongst residents.

‘By no means seen such a foul scenario’

In a single incident, Anwar Hossain, a jeweller, was attacked exterior his residence whereas carrying gold price roughly 28,100,000 taka ($232,000) in money. Six males on bikes tried to grab his bag. When he resisted, they shot him and fled. With gunshot wounds in each legs, Hossein is now present process remedy at Dhaka Medical Faculty Hospital.

The incident, captured on video, went viral and sparked outrage and protests throughout Dhaka, with demonstrators demanding Chowdhury’s resignation. Between February 1 and February 26, dozens of violent crimes – together with homicide, rape, theft and extortion – nationwide have been reported in native media, with ugly movies and firsthand accounts from victims circulated broadly on social media.

“There was theft and snatching earlier than, however now, it’s out of restrict,” stated Rahmat Ullah, a rickshaw driver in his 50s. He added that he had “by no means seen such a foul scenario” in additional than 17 years of labor. His passengers have been victims of assaults too, Ullah stated.

“I used to avoid wasting up the cash I earned over 15 to twenty days and ship it residence by means of a financial institution. Now, no matter I earn every day, I ship again residence instantly [via a mobile financial service].”

Regardless of this, the federal government has been hesitant to acknowledge the disaster. Asif Nazrul, the adviser for the Regulation, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs ministry, conceded authorities shortcomings, however insisted that the interim administration underneath Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was doing all it may.

“Typically, the scenario was good, generally extraordinarily dangerous,” Nazrul stated. “However we’re making relentless efforts to regulate the scenario.”

For a lot of Bangladeshis, these assurances ring hole.

Protests have erupted throughout college campuses, led by a number of scholar teams, particularly after a wave of reported rapes throughout the nation – of which Al Jazeera may independently confirm not less than 10. The protesters have demanded the rapid resignation of the Residence Affairs adviser and pressing motion to sort out the deteriorating legislation and order scenario.

“My mother and father fear each time I step exterior, and that is the fact for all ladies like me. We simply need to hustle by means of our each day life not being raped or hijacked and make it residence safely with none worry,” stated Eti Akter, one of many protesters, instructed Al Jazeera. “Life now feels extra unsafe than ever.”

Such insecurity was beforehand related to the “thugs” of the Chhatra League, the scholar wing of Hasina’s Awami League, stated Tanvir Rifat, one other protester. Now, the Awami League is gone, however the crime has solely grown.

“This isn’t the Bangladesh we hoped to see after the mass rebellion. It appears like all the pieces may very well be snatched away at any second,” Rifat stated. He in contrast “the streets of Dhaka” with Gotham, the fictional, crime-riddled metropolis from the DC universe. “However, sadly, we don’t have a Batman.”

Tawohidul Haque, against the law analyst and affiliate professor at Dhaka College’s Institute of Social Welfare and Analysis, instructed Al Jazeera that one of many key indicators of an enhancing crime scenario is whether or not individuals really feel secure at residence, exterior and whereas commuting.”Individuals now don’t really feel secure any extra,” he stated.

Farisa Nusrat, a Dhaka College scholar, stated she avoids staying out late. “My mother and father don’t enable it any extra. Even when I keep, they preserve calling me,” she stated.

Many non-public college college students from totally different establishments at the moment are demanding on-line courses throughout Ramadan, citing security considerations.

Authorities struggles

On February 8, the federal government launched Operation Satan Hunt, a joint army and police crackdown that was meant to sort out the rising crime wave. However whereas greater than 9,000 arrests have been made, violent crime continues unabated.

Mubashar Hasan, a political analyst, believes the interim authorities is struggling to take care of order. “Not like an elected authorities with a unified chain of command, the present administration consists of figures from totally different backgrounds with competing priorities,” he instructed Al Jazeera.

“Whereas there isn’t any lack of intention to curb crime, their capability to take action stays restricted.”

After Chowdhury’s, the Residence Affairs adviser, February 24 information convention, police arrested 248 individuals allegedly concerned in varied prison actions in several components of Dhaka, inside 24 hours.

However “arrests imply nothing if we don’t really feel secure on the streets,” Hassan, the 21-year-old scholar, stated.

As worry spreads, some residents have taken safety into their very own fingers. In a number of neighbourhoods, locals have fashioned self-defence patrols, armed with sticks and batons to fend off muggers. In a single surprising case, two males suspected of mugging have been overwhelmed and hung the other way up from a Dhaka footbridge by an offended crowd on February 25. That very same night time, one other suspected mugger was overwhelmed to dying.

“That is what occurs when individuals lose religion in legislation enforcement – they resort to vigilante justice,” stated Tawohidul Haque, an affiliate professor at Dhaka College’s Institute of Social Welfare and Analysis.

In January alone, 16 individuals have been killed in mob violence nationwide, in line with the rights physique Ain O Salish Kendra.

Specialists attribute the surge in crime to the political turmoil following Hasina’s elimination.

“A sudden energy shift creates unrest and an influence vacuum – an atmosphere the place lawbreakers thrive,” stated criminology assistant professor Sakib. “Criminals noticed this instability as a possibility, which is why crime has peaked.”

Sakib additionally identified that Bangladesh Police, the first legislation enforcement company, are struggling to regain public belief. “Throughout the lethal protest in opposition to Hasina, police have been broadly accused of human rights violations and have been seen as an adversary of the individuals. This lack of ‘ethical authority’ has weakened their means to operate successfully.”

Since Hasina’s August elimination, the Yunus authorities has moved out the heads of every of Bangladesh’s 50 police stations for allegedly being near Hasina’s get together.

“New officers aren’t conversant in their assigned areas. They lack informants and haven’t had time to develop a complete crime-fighting technique,” Sakib stated. All of this, he added, “has created a vacuum that criminals are exploiting”.

One other driving pressure behind the crime wave is the discharge on bail of convicted criminals – a few of whom have been as soon as listed as “high terror” figures – after the political transition, a senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer stated.

“We now have reviews that many of those people have returned to crime, reviving outdated extortion rackets and gang operations,” the officer stated, talking on situation of anonymity. “We plan to attraction for bail cancellations, however the concern is that many of those criminals have been bailed by means of the affect of politicians who now maintain energy.”

Sakid stated: “Mass bail for convicted criminals was achieved so quickly, and it spreads a detrimental message to the individuals in society. Although this can be a judicial matter, the sheer pace at which terror-listed figures have been freed is alarming. Public security ought to have been rigorously assessed earlier than permitting these people again onto the streets.”

Weapons looted throughout political uprisings have additionally discovered their approach into prison fingers, fulling an increase in armed muggings. Movies of masked gangs wielding weapons have unfold worry throughout social media.

Hasan, the political analyst, argues {that a} democratically elected authorities can be far more practical in restoring legislation and order.

“A political authorities elected by the individuals may have far more power and legitimacy,” he stated.

The interim authorities has but to announce a concrete timeline for elections. Nonetheless, Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, instructed the media on February 24 that polls may happen on the newest by March 2026.

However for a lot of younger Bangladeshis, day by day with out a sense of safety appears like a betrayal.

“We took to the streets final yr for a safer Bangladesh the place the usual of residing will likely be ensured by the state, and now we’re on the mercy of criminals, maybe patronised by the politicians who will rule the nation within the close to future,” Rifat, the protester, stated.

“What was the purpose?”