RAJSAHI, Dec 21: Incidents of theft, snatching, and dacoity have risen alarmingly across all eight districts of Rajshahi Division. Over the past eleven months, 59 cases of dacoity, 100 cases of snatching, and 927 theft cases have been filed in the division.
However, it is estimated that at least double the number of incidents have occurred during this period. Victims often refrain from filing police reports due to fear of further harassment.
These crimes of theft, snatching, and dacoity are also leading to violence and murder. In Lalpur, Natore, residents are staying awake at night to guard against thieves. In the divisional city of Rajshahi, police have intensified nightly patrols following a series of thefts. Since last Sunday, police teams have been conducting regular patrols at 12 key points in the city.
Multiple police sources confirm that Pabna, Sirajganj, and Bogura are ahead in terms of dacoity incidents. Earlier, in the first four months of this year, 390 cases were filed for theft, snatching, and dacoity, including 29 dacoities, 284 thefts, and 77 snatchings. At that time, Bogura had the highest number of such incidents in the division.
RAJSHAHI: On 15 October around 10:45 pm, mobile banking agent Nasir Uddin was robbed while returning home from the market. Masked snatchers took Tk 2.8 lakh from him, struck him hard on the head, and fled. Nasir Uddin was rescued in critical condition and taken to hospital. His wife, Rabeya Khatun, said, "Since the incident, Nasir Uddin is on the verge of losing his mental balance. He can't even speak properly now."
In Rajshahi alone, three cold storage dacoities have occurred this year, in Paba, Mohanpur, and Tanore upazilas. Since joining as Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner on 30 November, Dr Md Zillur Rahman has intensified special patrols in the city from last Sunday to curb theft and snatching.
CHAPAINAWABGANJ: On 8 January, a young man named Mosharaf Hossain, 34, died after being caught and beaten by locals while attempting theft. He died while undergoing treatment at the district hospital. He was caught by locals on the night of 6 December, suspected of theft, and subjected to a mob beating which led to his death.
NAOGAON: An open snatching occurred in Dhamoirhat upazila of Naogaon on 3 December. Snatchers took Tk 3 lakh and seriously injured a young man named Yamin with a weapon.
NATORE: On 5 December, computer parts were stolen from the Lalpur Upazila Land Office in Natore. Thieves stole valuable components from two computers. That same night, members of a thief gang attempted burglary at six houses in Raghunathpur Village but failed as most residents were on guard. However, a charger van was stolen from the house of Jhantu Sarkar in the same village. Locals report that seven vans have been stolen from this village in the last six months.
Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) of Lalpur Police Station S. M. Riazul Hasan, said, "Night patrols have been increased to prevent theft. Police are continuing efforts to arrest gang members and recover stolen goods. I have heard villagers are also staying awake to keep watch." In this district, on 3 November, 150 sacks of rice were stolen from a shop by breaking its shutter after parking a truck beside the highway. Prior to that, a severe dacoity occurred at the North Bengal Sugar Mills in Natore.
BOGURA: On 9 November, carpenter Tarikul Islam Bhutto, 50, was hacked to death in Gabtali, Bogura, centering a chicken theft. Meanwhile, sources from Bogura Rural Electricity Association's Dhunot Zonal Office say that in October, miscreants stole transformers from six farmers in Baniyagati Village of Gopalnagar Union in the upazila.
JOYPURHAT: On 4 September, a dacoity occurred at the house of an expatriate in Talukdar Para of Kalai municipality, Joypurhat. Dacoits cut the grill at the back of the ground floor, tied up homeowner Ismail Hossain Tuku, his wife Bilkis Ara, and two others, assaulted them, and looted four mobile phones, cash from an almirah, and 10 bhari of gold jewellery. Police arrested four dacoits in connection with this case on 7 November.
SIRAJGANJ: On the night of 13 March, a gang of 25-30 dacoits tied up and assaulted workers at a battery factory in Baruhas Union, Tarash upazila, and looted goods worth about Tk 39.5 lakh. Later, RAB conducted a drive and arrested several dacoits.
PABNA: On 3 December, a severe dacoity occurred at several gold shops and a businessman's house in a market adjacent to the river in Bhangura upazila, Pabna, reached by speedboat. The incident took place at the Astamanisha market late at night. Earlier, on 24 November, dacoities occurred in the same manner at four shops in Nakalia market on the Jamuna bank in Bera upazila, Pabna.
When asked, Rajshahi Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohammad Shahjahan said, "We are trying our best to control crime. Yet, crimes are happening. Crime cannot be eradicated; it must be controlled. Police are working amid shortages of manpower and logistics."
