Snatching Must Not Become a New Normal

We find the growing incidents of snatching and robbery in Dhaka deeply concerning. A recent report by The Daily Observer highlighted how such crimes have become a source of fear for city dwellers, with people facing attacks even in broad daylight. This trend threatens not only personal safety but also the sense of security people need to move freely through their own city.

The concern becomes more serious when we consider the timing. On August 27, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told lawmakers that the overall law and order situation had improved and that criminals were being arrested quickly. However, only two days later, schoolteacher Ranjila Parvin died after a snatcher pulled her bag from a moving rickshaw in front of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Her death raises a serious question: if a snatcher can strike in such a prominent area, how safe can ordinary citizens feel elsewhere in Dhaka?

This incident also shows why arrests alone cannot solve the problem. Police conduct regular drives, patrols and intelligence operations, yet snatching continues. According to Police Headquarters data, police recorded 1,067 snatching incidents across the country during the first seven months of this year. Dhaka police stations also recorded 178 robbery or snatching cases during the period. The actual scale may be higher because many victims do not report such crimes. Therefore, fewer complaints do not necessarily indicate less crime.

The impact extends far beyond the loss of a phone, bag or cash. Frequent snatching changes how people experience the city. Passengers become anxious, pedestrians remain alert around motorcycles and rickshaws, and even routine journeys can become stressful. Ranjila Parvin’s death shows how quickly a seemingly minor theft can turn fatal. Meanwhile, the reported killing of an alleged snatcher by another snatcher in Kadamtali points to a wider problem of street violence.

We must therefore address the conditions that allow this cycle to continue. Crime expert Dr Omar Faruk has pointed to economic pressure, population density, crime-prone areas, weak monitoring of professional criminals and limitations in law enforcement. These factors deserve serious attention. Police should closely monitor repeat offenders, use intelligence to identify organised criminal networks, and strengthen patrols in crime-prone areas and during vulnerable hours.

Law enforcement agencies and the judiciary also need better coordination. Authorities must ensure that habitual offenders cannot repeatedly return to the streets and resume criminal activities. They should also simplify the reporting process so that victims do not hesitate to seek justice.

Ultimately, the government must measure law-and-order success by the safety people experience, not merely by the number of arrests. Dhaka residents deserve to travel without fear. Arresting offenders is essential, but preventing the next crime matters more. Moreover, authorities must act before snatching becomes an accepted part of everyday life.