Crimes on rise as criminals coming out of hideouts

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Crimes like murder, robbery and especially mugging have increased in the capital and across the country because of, what the law enforcers say, restive political situation.

The biggest ever heist in the country, the latest sensational crime incident, took place at the 16-storey Mascot Plaza in Uttara early Wednesday where burglars broke into four jewellery shops and took gold ornaments and cash worth Tk 12.80 crore.

Business people and owners of a number of under-construction buildings in Mirpur, Karwan Bazar, Moghbazar, New Market, Mohammadpur and Badda areas alleged that local criminals, who went into hiding soon after the caretaker government (CG) assumed power, are in action again and have started extorting money from them.

Many of the criminals are among the around 2,000 accused who were released after around 300 criminal cases were withdrawn on the home ministry recommendations at the fag end of the four-party government, they alleged.

Even though concerned sections of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) could not provide any statistics, authorities admitted that crime has increased.

“The number of robberies and muggings have risen during the caretaker government regime as the law enforcers are engaged in tackling political programmes,” Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) SM Mizanur Rahman told The Daily Star. He however said they would take necessary measures to contain crime.

According to the police headquarters, robbery incidents rose to 141 in November from 124 in October. Fighting and clashes also rose from 97 incidents in October to 132 in November. However, the number of murders dropped to 392 in November from 474 in October.

Expressing his frustration, a top official at the police headquarters said they had a plan for a massive crackdown on criminals after the CG assumed power. But it did not happen, as the interim government did not give them any stern directives.

He also said law and order situation slid down recently as they were bogged down trying to contain political unrests. Taking the opportunity of the political unrest the criminals are carrying out murders, robberies and muggings, he added.

A business leader of Mirpur area told The Daily Star that the extent of extortion rose to a new height in the area during the last 15 days. “Over 100 traders from Mirpur-1 informed me that unknown telephone callers, claiming themselves to be the men of criminal Shahadat’s gang, are demanding tolls from them,” the leader said wishing not to be named.

Traders in Karwan Bazar said at least 10 sidekicks of infamous criminal Pichchi Hannan, who was killed in “crossfire” during a “shootout” while in Rab custody couple of years back, are roaming around the city’s largest wholesale market and forcing them to provide tolls.

However, businessmen in Naya Paltan area are stricken with muggings as over 50 such incidents took place in the area in the last 15 to 20 days. “We don’t have to pay any tolls, but muggings rose to an unbearable level in the area,” said Kayum Talukder Moni, president of Polwel Super Market Shop Owners’ Association.

A number of the gruesome killings include shooting down of an engineer inside his house on Indira Road on November 28, killing of a Tejgaon College student at Elephant Road in the city on November 1, killing of a trader of Polwel Super Market at Naya Paltan on December 2 and shooting down of a construction contractor at Badda last week.

Besides, robbers killed one and injured three others with sharp weapons at Badda, robbers raided a house of a retired army official at the New DOHS in Baridhara and looted Tk 12.5 lakh in cash and valuables on November 6, robbers raided the house of a businessman at Shaheed Nagar in Shyampur on November 2 and looted Tk 16.37 lakh in gold and cash, in a daring robbery at Holland Centre shopping complex at North Badda on last Sunday, robbers took gold ornaments, cash and other valuables worth Tk 86 lakh. Traders of the shopping complex kept their shops closed in the market yesterday in protest.

Kidnappers abducted Turza Ghosh Rony, son of a jeweller on October 29 as he was on his way to the Dhanmondi branch of their jewellery shop from Uttara. “We have already paid Tk 10 lakh and gave them 10 tolas of gold as ransom, but my son is yet to be released,” Turza’s aggrieved father told The Daily Star.

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