Safety on Edge: Bangladeshi Citizens are Threatened By the Highest Crime Waves Since Sheikh Hasina’s Fall

Three Firemen Standing Near Trees, by Alotrobo via Pexels, 2019.

Bangladesh is experiencing the highest rates of violent crimes, including robbery, mugging, theft, and sexual violence. The human rights violations during the July Revolution have led to widespread disloyalty towards state authorities, fuelling acts of “vigilante justice”. The interim government has started “Operation Devil Hunt” to restore law and order; however, the situation only continues to worsen.

Panic has spread through the streets of Dhaka following the recent surge in violent crimes. On February 23rd, six to seven robbers brutally attacked a gold jewellery businessman, Anwar Hossain, 43, in Dhaka’s Rampura area. They rode up on a motorcycle and shot him on the way home before looting his 200-carat gold jewellery and cash. On the same night, a middle-aged woman was the victim of a robbery and was forced to surrender at the sight of sharp weapons. In a very short time span, another four incidents of robbery, attempted rape, and theft took place in different areas of Dhaka.  

The ongoing events are linked to the recent fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, which led to the collapse of the police system, with officers fleeing from the widespread mob justice in the Bangladeshi streets. During the July Revolution, around 2,200 prisoners, including high-risk criminals, escaped from prisons, and 174 were released on bail (Rizve, 2025). The situation is further exacerbated by the interim government’s inability to revive the police system and effectively address the increasing crime rates. 

Higher violent crimes, particularly sexual violence against women and children, sparked the student demonstrations demanding the resignation of the interim government’s home adviser, Lt. General (R.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. At a 3:00 AM press conference on February 8th, Chowdhury announced “Operation Davil Hunt” to restore order and called for its immediate execution. He also accused the Awami League of corrupting and fuelling unrest in the country. 

According to the police authorities, 500 additional patrol teams have been deployed to control the situation in the crime-prone areas of Dhaka. However, media outlets and crime analysts question whether these measures are effective and reflect reality, as the crime rates still have not decreased.

Sources and Further Readings:

Agence France-Presse – AFP. (2025, February 24). Bangladesh authorities arrest over 8,600 amid surge in crime. Daily Sabah. <https://www.dailysabah.com/world/asia-pacific/bangladesh-authorities-arrest-over-8600-amid-surge-in-crime> Accessed 1 March 2025.

Channel 24. (2025, February 24). রাজধানীতে বেড়েছে ছিনতাই-ডাকাতি, আতঙ্কে ঢাকাবাসী | Snatching | Robbery | Dhaka | Channel 24 [Video]. YouTube. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XpIjiJ8s40> Accessed 1 March 2025.

Marof, M. H. (2025, March 4). ‘Gotham but no Batman’: Crime grips Bangladesh 6 months after Hasina fled. Al Jazeera. <https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/3/4/gotham-but-no-batman-crime-wave-grips-dhaka-6-months-after-hasina-fled> Accessed 1 March 2025.

Rizve, S. (2025, March 3). Crime wave sweeps Post-Hasina Bangladesh. The Diplomat. <https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/crime-wave-sweeps-post-hasina-bangladesh/> Accessed 1 March 2025.