Crime propencity during Eid

During Eid-ul-Fitr, people from various walks of life have different long-term plans associated with the event. To implement these plans, there is a year-round effort among the general public. If we focus on businessmen, we can see that Eid is utilized as an opportunity for livelihood not only by foopath traders but also by all other classes and professions. Businesspeople, including footpath traders and others from various professions, actively engage in planning and implementing business strategies to capitalize on Eid. No one refrains from striving to give their business establishment a new look. Businesspeople, along with people from all other walks of life, target Eid to infuse vibrancy into their businesses. There is an inclination to cultivate a commercial mindset (focused solely on profit, product marketing) among a particular class targeting the simple and honest general public in Bangladesh. Criminals also target Eid with the intention of committing crimes, as the economic wheel expands during the season, and the active nature of the economy increases the temptation among them to engage in criminal activities.

Before or after Eid, illegal means are often used to collect fares from ordinary passengers, and there is also manipulation in the issuance of vehicle permits. The government attempts to enforce designated fees for fares in very few transportation services. Irregularities are observed in most transportation sectors. Additionally, there are issues with vehicles lacking fitness certificates, operating without route permits, drivers lacking licenses, or licenses that have expired, among others. They primarily deceive passengers by withholding accurate information. These are essentially serious crimes. However, the problem is that such crimes are not effectively addressed in the country. Nevertheless, the time has come to protest against them. Once the culture of protesting begins, no one will dare to commit such misconduct later on.

Once again, there is often a focus on organizing markets around Eid, which is known to be influenced by local influential figures. These are individuals who engage in business and provide a certain amount of contribution to influential figures. Therefore, it is possible to target the presence of middlemen around Eid, and this tends to be quite evident. Certainly, those who suffer from this arrangement often do not protest against it. There is a tendency among them to tolerate it, believing that during Eid, it is necessary to provide a certain portion to the extortionists. However, such images of tolerance or news about them are not often publicly portrayed. Nonetheless, most people are aware of this issue. To conduct business in temporary markets, significant sums of money must be paid to influential figures. We must emerge from this situation because in a civilized society, social and national crimes should never be desired in governance.

During Eid, widespread corruption occurs in the transportation sector. Local-based Leguna, CNG, auto-tempo, and auto-rickshaw drivers are required to pay bribes at various intersections or points. This has become a prevalent issue across all districts of Bangladesh. Their exploitation makes transportation management extremely challenging. Workers are compelled to extort money under the names of various unions and development projects. During the Eid season, extortion increases, and drivers collect additional money from passengers. A fare of 10 taka becomes 20 taka, and a fare of 20 taka becomes 50 taka. The violence of extortionists is noticeable in such excessive and uncalled for anarchic conditions. They have a special quorum where the rate of subscription is fixed from the quorum in various circles and has been conducted as such for a long time.

Various times, incidents of bribery have been reported regarding those appointed for security on the highways. Starting from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), those appointed for ensuring security on the roads and other relevant issues have been identified as irresponsible and involved in bribery. They accept bribes merely by providing their irresponsible identity. They focus only on accepting bribes without paying attention to matters such as unfit vehicles, vehicles lacking route permits, transportation without licenses, and drivers without licenses. As a result, accidents occur on the roads, causing extensive damage to life and property. Every year, countless people die in road accidents, and during the Eid season, the number of accidents and subsequent casualties increases alarmingly. Thus, there is a correlation between one and the other.

During Eid, since it creates a transition period, many people from the city prefer to spend time with their families in the villages, enjoying moments of joy and celebration. Criminals seek to exploit this opportunity. Especially those who live in hiding due to fear of the police or those hindered from committing crimes, mainly aim to utilize this time for their activities. Many of those who are informally responsible for security during the Eid season also take leave and head to their villages. In short, although there is some semblance of security arrangements, there is a noticeable laxity in vigilance. Criminals steal and take away valuable and essential items, including gold ornaments, along with other necessary and expensive belongings.

During the transition period, the activities of insurgent, terrorist, and organized crime groups become apparent. Additionally, the dominance of border crimes also becomes a concern. Recently, following attacks on the KNF, the administration will focus on security in the hilly areas of Chittagong and three adjacent districts. With this opportunity, aggressive groups in other districts and upazilas will attempt to use their full strength to carry out destructive activities against the government. Security analysts have expressed concern, especially during peace talks, about the attacks on banks. They have attempted to articulate that the KNF is collaborating with many terrorist groups in the country, and there are international connections with these groups. In Chittagong Hill Tracts, the opposition group Parbatya Chittagong Jana Sanhati Samiti has been mainly supporting the KNF and KNF has also provided training to extremist groups. The group is likely to have a portion of the arms loot from Mijorum.

With the upcoming Eid approaching, proactive groups across the country may attempt to utilize the KNF's signboards to create a volatile situation. In light of this, law enforcement agencies need to remain vigilant and alert, alongside fostering awareness among communities to uphold law and order. A top KNF leader has been arrested and law enforcement agencies are on the lookout for Nathan Bom. From this standpoint, the armed terrorist group can turn the situation upside down with all they have. Therefore, taking advantage of the situation, communal riots, terrorist attacks, organized crime, looting, murders, serious injuries to innocent people, extortion may increase in other parts of the country.

Focusing on Eid, the primary goal in combating criminal tendencies is to protest against injustice with courage. Through social media, some instances of crime are becoming viral, and ordinary people are actively protesting. As a result, those involved in the problem are being apprehended by the national law enforcement agencies. It is evident that protesting against injustice or crime can effectively deter criminals. Due to the lack of protest, we have tolerated countless crimes for a long time. Consequently, we have been increasingly vulnerable to more crimes. Because of tolerating crime, criminals are becoming more aggressive and destructive compared to before, and they are getting involved in a wide range of criminal activities.

As a result, both the general public and the state of the country are suffering losses. Secondly, in ensuring the security of the neighborhood, the locals themselves must take the lead and take responsibility. Thirdly, accurate information must be presented to the law enforcement agencies regarding incidents. Fourthly, social security initiatives should involve the community, where everyone can feel safe. Finally, regardless of who the perpetrator is, the state must cooperate to ensure that they receive appropriate punishment.

Author: Assistant Professor and Chairperson, Department of Criminology and Police Science, Chittagong University.