How do notorious criminals roam freely?

After the people's uprising, there was hope that crime would decrease in society; however, it is observed with great regret that crime has not only failed to decrease but in some cases, has actually increased. Those identified as notorious criminals are not only roaming freely, but they are also getting involved in murders. Despite numerous cases filed against them, the police seem to take no action, and many accused criminals are being released from jails and getting involved in new crimes.

A news report published on Saturday (January 25), reveals that on last Monday afternoon, 10-12 criminals brutally killed a young man named Manjurul Islam Babu with machetes and knives in Pallabi’s Tekerbari area of the capital. According to Babu's relatives and law enforcement officers, notorious gangster Musa Shikdar, also known as Suman Shikdar, orchestrated the murder. A case has been filed at Pallabi police station, with Musa named as the prime accused. He has 11 cases against him, including charges of murder and possession of weapons, across various police stations in the capital.

In 2022, through the international police agency Interpol, Musa was brought back to the country. After spending a long time in prison, Musa was recently released on bail. Since then, he has once again been actively involved in the criminal world, surrounded by his associates. Many other notorious criminals, like Musa, are reemerging in public and returning to their criminal activities. This is leading to an rise in murders. Along with internal conflicts over extortion and territory, one faction is also attacking another. Locals claim that Babu was deliberately murdered in the midst of such a feud. Babu himself has allegations against him for land grabbing and extortion.

Previously, notorious criminals could engage in extortion and murder under the protection of political backing. Now, there is no political government in power in the country. So, how are these criminals managing to expand their criminal activities? Who is providing them with protection? This indicates that law enforcement agencies are failing to perform their duties effectively. As a result, alongside the malicious activities of notorious criminals, incidents of robberies, thefts, and extortion are spreading fear among the public.

Recently, on Thursday, a gold trader named Sajal Rajbangshi was injured in a shooting by criminals in the Beribandh area of Hazaribagh. The attackers stole 70 bhories of gold and 4 lakh taka from him. Earlier, on Tuesday, two businessmen were hacked and injured by criminals in Gulshan, and 1 crore taka was stolen from them. Such incidents are happening all around, some of which are reported by the media, while others remain unknown. However, it is undeniable that extortion and theft have increased in various parts of the country.

What is even more concerning is that after the fall of the Awami League government in the students' uprising, attacks were carried out on police stations, outposts, and various law enforcement establishments, leading to the looting of firearms and ammunition. In total, 5,750 firearms and 613,099 rounds of ammunition were looted. Many fear that these weapons and bullets might end up in the hands of terrorists and youth gangs. So far, 4,358 firearms have been recovered, but 1,392 firearms are still missing. It is feared that the increase in crime is partly due to these missing weapons.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s DC (Media) Mohammad Talebur Rahman told the media, "The police patrolling has been intensified, and intelligence surveillance has been increased. A thorough investigation is underway regarding the incidents that have occurred." We want the looted weapons from the police stations to be recovered quickly. Police patrols need to be further increased, and identified criminals should be arrested swiftly. If law enforcement agencies do not step up their efforts, such crimes will continue to increase in society and the state.