Bangladesh Faces Security Crisis Amid Rise in Vigilante Attacks

Police headquarters data show that Bangladesh registered 1,587 murder cases in the first five months of 2025, up from 1,265 during the same period last year. Armed robberies more than doubled, while abductions and crimes against women and children rose steeply. This unprecedented rise shattered the notion of stability that many citizens had once held.

Inspector General Mohammad Baharul Alam told The Daily Star that law enforcement lacks full control in the wake of political upheaval. He acknowledged that policing still struggles to keep pace with the rising crime rate. He urged new strategies to handle the surge.

Killings and Mob Violence

High-impact crimes hit headlines regularly. A video surfaced showing two men hacked to death in broad daylight in Dhaka’s Darussalam. A BNP leader was killed outside a shop in Khulna, while kidnappers slashed a young man with a machete in Moghbazar. In total, 89 people died in mob violence during this period, including 45 in Dhaka alone, according to rights group Ain o Salish Kendra.

Government officials have insisted that the law and order situation remains “satisfactory.” Yet experts and residents reject that claim. A criminology professor said public anxiety reflects lived reality, not statistical stability. People described Dhaka’s streets as “deadly” and urged faster responses from authorities.

‘Operation Devil Hunt’ Remains Incomplete

Since February, the interim government has arrested more than 8,000 people under Operation Devil Hunt, targeting alleged political gang affiliates. Yet violent crime continued to surge unchecked, raising doubts about the operation’s effectiveness beyond detentions. Enforcers have failed to translate arrests into safer neighborhoods.

The rise in violent crime demands more than routine police statements or arrests. Authorities must reform investigative systems, strengthen community policing, and ensure accountability in every corner of the country. Surveillance must be paired with timely arrests and visible presence in urban zones where fear has taken root.

If the interim administration cannot guarantee safety on the ground, its legitimacy erodes. Citizens will feel abandoned, and law enforcement will become a symbol of helplessness—not protection. The current surge must spark sustained reforms, not reactive measures. Without systematic change, Bangladesh risks becoming a place where violence defines streets more than law does.

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