Dhaka witnessed a harrowing night as multiple incidents of muggings, robberies, and violent attacks occurred in quick succession across different areas of the capital, fuelling public fear and anger over the deteriorating law-and-order situation.
Amid a surge in violent crime in recent days, citizens expressed their frustration on social media, sharing harrowing footage of gangs armed with guns and cleavers attacking residents in dimly lit streets.
Comments flooded Facebook, with one user demanding, “What exactly is the government doing?” while another lamented, “Muggings continue to rise, yet no one is taking action.”
Videos showed groups of assailants, many on motorcycles, ambushing unsuspecting individuals, assaulting them, and fleeing with stolen belongings.
In the early hours of Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered at Dhaka University, demanding the immediate resignation of Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, whom they accused of failing to curb crime.
Addressing a press briefing at 3am, the home adviser blamed cohorts of the ousted Awami League for orchestrating chaos, alleging they were using illicit wealth to destabilise the country.
“The law-and-order situation will not worsen further; rather, it will improve,” he assured, warning of strict measures against law enforcement officers failing to enforce security directives.
Despite the government’s launch of "Operation Devil Hunt" on 8 February to restore order, little impact has been seen on the ground, with crime rates remaining alarmingly high.
Public outrage intensified as students across the country staged demonstrations condemning the government’s “inaction” amid escalating cases of sexual violence and violent crimes.
“The government must ensure public safety and good governance. If the home affairs adviser cannot protect lives and property, he should step down,” said one protesting student.
Echoing similar sentiments, another student said, “Every morning, I wake up to news of rape, robbery, and murder. I feel unsafe as a citizen. If the government fails, it should admit its incompetence and step down.”
Crime rampant: armed robberies, assaults
At least four violent incidents were reported on Sunday.
In Rampura, armed robbers shot jewellery trader Anwar Hossain, 43, before escaping with a bag containing 200 bhori of gold ornaments and BDT 1 lakh in cash. The attack took place around 10:30pm on Road 7, Block D, in Banasree.
Anwar, shot in both legs, is undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
In another incident, panic spread in Dhanmondi’s Shankar neighbourhood at 7pm when 12-15 unidentified men, allegedly carrying locally-made weapons, were spotted near Shankar Ali Hussain High School.
Alerted by a muezzin’s announcement via a mosque loudspeaker, residents mobilised, prompting the group to flee before police arrived.
In Ashulia, TV actor Azizur Rahman Azad was shot in his home around 2:45am.
According to family members, unidentified assailants fired at him in the kitchen, hitting his legs, before physically assaulting his mother and wife.
The attackers fired 10-15 blank shots before fleeing without stealing anything. The victims were later hospitalised in Dhaka.
Meanwhile, in Badda, a security guard was arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a seven-year-old girl.
The suspect, 53-year-old Sabuj Ahmed, lured the child to his room before being caught and beaten by locals, who then handed him over to the police.
The victim’s mother has filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
As demands for accountability grow, the home adviser has ordered intensified patrolling and promised immediate action against security forces failing in their duties.
However, with rising crime and mass protests, public confidence in the government’s ability to restore order remains fragile.
