Law and Order Continues to Crumble Amid Deep Slumber at Home Ministry, Police Headquarters

Sakhawat Hossain

Armed muggers hacked both wrists of a police inspector with a machete in Khulna and left him seriously hurt. The attack took place earlier this month in front of Collegiate School in the Sadar police station area of Khulna city. Inspector (unarmed) Mr. Shah Alam, who works at the Khulna district circle office, was riding a rickshaw to the police club when the muggers caught him. The day before yesterday, criminals hacked Jubo Dal leader Mr. Abu Kawsar to death in Cumilla while he was going to an arbitration meeting.

A few days ago, criminals walked into a tea stall just 50 yards from his home in Durgapur, Netrokona, and shot journalist Mr. Lutfuzzaman Alif Fakir dead. Brutal killings keep happening one after another across the country. Police, ruling party leaders and workers, journalists and ordinary people are now falling victim to target killings. People are asking what police and other agencies are doing to bring the killers to justice.

Worry is growing across the country over murder, rape, mugging, robbery, extortion and land grabbing. Open use of weapons, clashes over political dominance, and violence against women and children raise questions about public safety. The government has taken many steps, and law enforcement agencies have run regular and special drives. Still, the situation shows no visible improvement.

Recent events and reports by human rights groups show a worrying picture of violence and insecurity. After major crimes such as murder, the Home Ministry and police headquarters take almost no action. Top officials seem to be asleep, as if they bear no responsibility. People also question the ability of law enforcement to prevent crime, the work of intelligence units, and the proper use of the law.

According to this year’s crime figures, more than 15 people are killed every day on average. Human rights groups and social scientists say several causes have made such brutal killings rise alarmingly in recent months. These causes include easy access to illegal weapons, a culture of mob beating, political infighting and family unrest. However, a few days ago, the fifth meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the Home Ministry of the 13th National Parliament said law and order has improved compared to before.

The meeting cited crime figures from January to September of 2025 and 2026 for comparison. The figures covered robbery, banditry, murder, riots, rape, abuse of women and children, kidnapping, theft, attacks on police, arms and explosives offences, drugs and smuggling. The meeting also discussed government steps against drug abuse, extortion, mugging, teen gangs and organised crime. Committee members advised law enforcement to use modern technology to prevent and control crime.

Earlier this week, in Debhata, Satkhira, a mob allegedly beat a young man named Mr. Wahiduzzaman Shamim to death over a claim of insulting religion. His brother, Mr. Abdul Jalil Sana, said people made the claim on social media and killed his brother through mob justice. One of the most discussed killings this month is that of Ms. Jannatul Tajmin (13) in Cumilla. Police recovered her body earlier this month from a paddy field in Jagatpur village, Lalmai upazila.

Police found a CNG auto rickshaw and a vanity bag at the scene. Following these clues, Cumilla DB police arrested the rickshaw driver, Mr. Sumon, from Chattogram. In Patuakhali, a fight over football at the EPZ field led to a dispute earlier this month. People called Mr. Abbas and his cousin Mr. Rubel Sikdar to settle it, then tricked them, freed Mr. Rubel and held Mr. Abbas. He went missing after that, and people found his lifeless body beside the highway near the EPZ in West Auliapur.

Earlier this week, police recovered the chopped body of Ms. Shirin Begum from a house in the Mir Hajirbagh area of South Jatrabari. Her body had been cut into four pieces. The quarterly report of the human rights group Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) for July to September shows widespread violence. It says 183 political violence incidents in three months killed 17 people and injured 1,227.

Of these, 69 incidents of infighting inside the BNP killed nine people and injured at least 540. The group says 31 clashes between BNP and Jamaat killed one person. It says 16 clashes between BNP and Awami League killed two people. Earlier this week, Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, the prime minister’s adviser on information and broadcasting, answered reporters’ questions about the police.

He said the police force has not yet reached the desired level of ability, confidence and morale. He said the way the past government used the police, and the public anger over it, left a lasting effect on the force. He said things improved after the national election in February, but the crisis has not fully ended. He said the police need more time to return to effective policing.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mr. Mosleh Uddin Ahmed told reporters that regular drives continue to arrest known and listed criminals. He said many criminals have fled or gone into hiding, but police keep trying to catch them. Dr. Touhidul Haque, associate professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research at Dhaka University, also spoke to reporters. He said authorities must apply the law equally to everyone, whatever the criminal’s political identity, social position or influence.

He said law enforcement faces many obstacles when it acts against powerful suspects. He said trust in the rule of law suffers when police act fast in one case but go soft in another because of political or social influence. He said investigators, prosecutors and courts must use the same standard for every offender. He said crime control will become hard if unequal enforcement of the law continues.