Sitakunda incident exposes country's worsening law & order situation 

On Monday evening, January 19, 2026, a barbaric attack was carried out on RAB officials in Sitakunda, Chittagong. In this incident, one RAB official was killed and several others were injured. This is not only a criminal incident, but it is also an extreme blow to the sovereignty of the state and public security. Because, this attack has taken place at a time when the country is going through a sensitive political and social situation. This armed attack on law enforcement agencies in a geographically diverse area like Sitakunda proves that criminal gangs are now not limited to self-defense, but have gained the courage to challenge the state.

The barbaric attack on RAB is a deep blow to the internal security and psychological stability of Bangladesh. The incident in which an officer was killed and several others were injured is not just an isolated crime, but a reflection of a well-organized terrorist activity. The audacity shown by the criminals by exploiting the remote geographical location of Sitakunda and the complex demographic structure there is a direct challenge to the law and order of the state.

Analyzing this attack in Sitakunda reveals the following psychological and strategic aspects:

Becoming a sanctuary for terrorists: The hills and coastal areas of Sitakunda have been used as a safe haven for criminals for a long time. Due to the lack of surveillance, it has become a 'safe zone' or sanctuary. Rise of extremism: Due to the misinterpretation of religious or political ideologies and the spread of extremist ideas, terrorists now do not hesitate to give or take their lives. Revenge on law and order enforcers: They have targeted RAB out of anger at losing or arresting their members in various past operations. Seeking an escape route: They carry out suicide attacks to survive and escape from the area in the face of a surprise attack.

Fear of being caught: Psychologically, when a criminal is certain that he will be caught, he develops a sense of 'desperation', which makes him violent. Pre-planned attack by an organized group: This is not an isolated incident. Intelligence analysis suggests that it was part of a well-organized plan to break the morale of the forces. Establishing their rule: Terrorists try to run a parallel administration to maintain local justice or influence, where law enforcement is their main obstacle.

Weakness of intelligence: The timing and nature of the attacks indicate that there was a lack of intelligence or lack of coordination at the field level, which the terrorists took advantage of. Creating terror: Sending the message to the common people that "if we can kill RAB, the common people are nothing to us." Geographical advantage: Sitakunda's remote hilly areas and thickets are very favorable for guerrilla attacks, which terrorists have successfully used.  Involvement of the Rohingya population: The involvement of a section of the displaced Rohingyas in the arms and drug trade with local criminal gangs is giving the scale of crime in this region an international dimension.

Maintaining the kingdom: Keeping their criminal empire intact by preventing outside interference. Use of looted illegal weapons: Weapons and ammunition looted from various police stations during the July uprising are now acting as a major force in the hands of terrorists. Increasing the audacity of terrorists: Taking advantage of the stability of the state, criminals have created the impression that they are beyond capture.  Creating electoral instability: This is a far-reaching conspiracy to destabilize the country in the political context of 2026, keeping the elections ahead. Panic among voters: The aim is to make the common people afraid to go to the polling stations and create political uncertainty. Spread of illegal weapons: The easy availability of illegal weapons spread across the country is pushing criminals towards armed rebellion.
The damage that the Sitakunda incident can cause to the public security system of Bangladesh is as follows:

Increased political instability: The deterioration of the law and order situation will increase mudslinging among political parties and unrest on the streets.  Risks in hilly areas: Tourism and general life in hilly and coastal areas will come to a standstill. Obstacles to law enforcement: If psychological fear is created among the members of the force, they may hesitate to play a courageous role in the operation.  Obstacles to fair elections: If terrorists dominate, it will become impossible to organize elections in a fear-free environment. Political infiltration: Armed groups will use political cover to implement their agenda. Public security is under extreme threat: The security of life and property of the common people will be severely disrupted. Fear of polling station capture: There is a possibility of a return to the culture of booth capture and center capture on election day with the force of illegal weapons. 

International image damaged: Bangladesh may be known in the world as an "unstable state", which will reduce foreign investment. Uncertainty of personal security: Every citizen may feel that the state is incapable of providing them with security. Election sabotage: The ultimate threat of undermining the democratic process through total anarchy. RAB is a specialized force, this force has smart members of the army, BGB, navy, air force and police forces. This force has international standard training. In this situation, the question arises that if such a dem-care attitude of terrorists is observed against such an elite force, at what level is the position of Ansar or police.

Apart from the above reasons, some deeper issues need to be noted: Cyber and propaganda war - terrorists are trying to break the morale of the forces by spreading false information through social media after the attack. Economic backers - it is important to identify the 'godfathers' who are providing money and weapons behind these terrorists. Social isolation - unemployment and despair are easily recruited by criminal gangs.

In view of the deep crisis in Bangladesh, the government and the concerned quarters can find the following solutions: To deal with this national crisis, the Bangladesh government must adopt a comprehensive 'zero tolerance' policy. A nationwide combing operation must be conducted with a specific deadline to recover looted and illegal weapons. In this case, the e-services and helplines of the Bangladesh Police can be used. Along with human intelligence, drone technology and geo-tagging must be used to identify the location of criminals in remote areas. Surveillance must be increased inside and around the Rohingya camps so that they cannot mix with local criminals. Strict legal measures must be taken to ensure that local political leaders do not shelter any criminals. Those involved in this attack must be tried quickly and given exemplary punishment. Social campaigns must be launched to bring back those who have gone astray and to dispel the fear of the common people.

The Sitakunda incident is not just a crime, it is a warning message for the state. We have no chance of retreating at this time of 2026. If we cannot nip this audacity of criminals in the bud, public safety will remain limited to paper only. Let today's commitment be to build a safe and terror-free Bangladesh with the joint efforts of the government, law enforcement agencies and the general public. The state will be safe only if we are safe. The Sitakunda incident has shown us that criminals are no longer limited to self-defense, they are trying to demonstrate power parallel to state power. Our security system must be reorganized around this tragic incident of January 19. The state must prove that no one is above the rule of law. Only the joint efforts of the government, security forces and conscious citizens can make Bangladesh a terror-free and safe state. If we are to look towards the bright future of 2026, it is essential to completely eradicate these security risks today.