Criminal activities like murder robbery, mugging, looting and abduction have increased in recent time. According to the police headquarters' crime statistics for the last five months has shown that 1,587 murder cases were registered in various police stations across the country from January to May this year.
There were 1,265 murder cases during the same period last year. This means that 322 more murder cases have been filed in the first five months of this year than last year.
It has increased by 20 per cent in percentage terms. Analyzing the data, it has been found that, on average, 10 people were murdered per day for the first five months of this year.
In January of this year, there were 294 murder cases in the country, 300 in February, 316 in March, 336 in April and 341 in May. This means that an average of 317 people are killed in the country every month.
On the other hand, there were 1,265 murder cases in the country in the first five months of last year. Of these, 231 were in January, 240 in February, 239 in March, 296 in April, and 259 in May. This means that during the same period last year, an average of 251 people were murdered per month.
More BNP leaders and activists killed: A report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) says that 67 people were killed in political violence in the country in the first five months of this year.
From January to March, 47 people were killed in 325 political violence incidents. The remaining 20 were killed in April and May.
Analysts from the organization told The Daily Observer that violence has been more prevalent in the pursuit of dominance, political revenge, extortion, and occupation of various facilities.
According to the HRSS report, 190 of the 325 violent incidents in the first three months were due to BNP internal conflicts. In the violence between January and May alone, 45 BNP members, 10 Awami League members, one Jamaat member, one student from the Students Against Discrimination and two from the UPDF were killed.
The political identities of the other two are unknown. More political activists were killed in the next two months. Even then, documentary footage of the continued killing of BNP leaders and activists has been found.
At least 70 people were shot in political violence during the five months. More than 400 homes, political offices, businesses and vehicles were set on fire, vandalised and looted.
At least 168 murder cases were filed in various police stations in Dhaka city. An analysis of these murders in the capital showed that 39 per cent were politically motivated. According to police data, 168 murder cases were filed in the capital in the five months from January to May. In the same period in 2024, 63 cases were filed in this regard.
It shows that the murder cases have more than doubled compared to the same period last year. The investigation officials concerned said that these murders were committed to harm the opponent for various reasons including previous disputes, dominance, extortion, and taking control of illegal businesses.
According to official police records, some 426 incidents of robbery have been reported in the seven months from August last year to February this year. The number was 182 at the same time period the previous year. As such, incidents of robbery have increased by 134 per cent.
Meanwhile, some 1,038 cases have been filed over looting which was 735 the previous year meaning such offences have increased by 41 per cent.
The police registered some 146 robbery cases, which was 62 at the same time last year. Besides, there have been reports of 422 incidents of banditry which was 235 in the first two months last year.
A number of mugging cases have been registered as robbery or banditry cases depending on the gravity and pattern of the crime as per the Criminal Code of Conduct, 1860. As per the existing law, the number of offenders in the case of banditry is usually one to four. If more than four offenders are involved in banditry, then the offence is considered a robbery.
The country also witnessed a surge in child abduction cases at an alarming rate. Some 548 abduction cases have been filed in the last seven months which was 294 at the same time last year. As such, abduction related crime has increased by 86 per cent.
The police recorded some 215 abduction cases in the last two months which was 94 the previous year at the same time. The incidents of abduction have been rising exponentially since 5 August with 161 cases recorded in September and October, 141 in November and December, that is the crime rate in the last two months has increased as compared to the previous months during the rule of the interim government too.
A high official of the Police Headquarters told The Daily Observer that "We are putting utmost importance on moving out from the practice of overlooking the crime or taking no action. Therefore, strict directives have been issued at the field level to register case for every criminal offence."
