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CRIMINALS are back on the streets. With a remarkable rise in crime incidents, including murder, mugging and extortions, in Dhaka city for about a month, the people are again finding themselves at the mercy of the criminals.
The Dhakaites, following tough actions against the criminals by the members of the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), until recently were living in an improved law and order situation. The situation, no doubt, is still better than the pre-RAB days but there some ominous signs. Indications are there that the situation might turn worse if necessary preventive measures are not taken right now.
Due to the recent rise in the incidents of muggings and snatchings, the people who were happy to get back their right to risk-free movement are found to be no more confident to make a stroll in the parks or go to markets by rickshaws or auto rickshaws after dusk.
Incidents of muggings and extortions are galore these days. But one may be misled by the number of such incidents recorded with different police stations in Dhaka city, for most of the victims of such crimes do not feel like going to the police stations to lodge complaints. The ministry of home or the police headquarters, if it desires, has the option to refute the allegation that the crime incidents have been on the rise in the city in recent weeks. It can refer to the number of crimes recorded with the police stations. But that will not change anyway the ground realities.
Why are the criminals making a comeback? Most Dhakaites are of the opinion that since the RAB members are now engaged in the task of finding out Islami militants and providing security to political events, the criminals have started to surface from their hideouts in security vacuum. The RAB are not seen in routine patrols these days nor there was any incident of 'crossfire' death in the past fee weeks. The killings of about a half a dozen people are also indicative of a deteriorating law and order situation.
One may wonder why the death of so many top terrorists in 'crossfire' has failed to stop resurgence of criminal activities. The RAB has been after top criminals, not petty criminals. Many of the top criminals are already dead and many more have fled the country or gone into hiding. But in their absence a new band of criminals, mostly in their teens, have taken over. Now in the absence of the routine and usual RAB actions, these criminals have filled the vacuum created by the absence of the listed top terrors. Most police stations do not have any record of this new band of criminals and any action against them would have to be purely on the basis of intelligence work. That is very much an unlikely job on the part of the police force.
It is not known why the RAB has scaled down its routine patrol in their respective zones. The incidents of crime have been on the rise because the law enforcers have devoted more of their time to find out religious extremists. But it has done one good thing. The new band of criminals has exposed themselves and if the RAB intelligence network is in operation, it will not be difficult on its part to nab these criminals later.
Most people do feel that the RAB men should return to its previous job of chasing the criminals and nabbing them with all toughness. A few questions have been raised by human right activists and foreign missions about the method applied by the RAB in combating the crime. But the people, to be honest, are least bothered by all this concerns. They want the RAB to maintain its toughness against the criminals, no matter who says what.
There is no denying that RAB was behind the recent successes against the so-called Islami Jehadis who were responsible for the death of dozens of innocent people across the country. It is natural that the authorities concerned would use the services of the RAB members extensively in locating the remaining militants. But at the same time, the ministry of home affairs cannot ignore the need for maintaining routine law and order.
The law and order situation started deteriorating since the mid nineties. But it took a serious turn during the regime of the incumbent government. Killings, mugging and extortions recorded an unprecedented rise. But the formation of the RAB has proved to be a step in right direction. The RAB, barring one to two deviations, has been accomplishing its job most professionally and without any political bias. The government does deserve appreciation for allowing the RAB to work freely as far as possible.
In a country where every third person is unemployed and nearly a half of the population live below the poverty line, the propensity to crime among the deprived population is a natural phenomenon. The economy of the country has been growing at an average rate of 5.0 per cent for the last one and a half decades. But the poverty has declined by about 1.0 percentage point every year. Then again income inequalities have widened. Combating poverty through the creation of huge employment opportunities is only possible through adequate investments by both the private and the public sectors. But investments do not come in a troubled law and order situation. So, the government needs to maintain law and order at any cost.
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