Purbachal: Dream Town in Day, Zone of Terror at Night!
Khalil Shikder
Purbachal, a planned modern satellite town near Dhaka patterned after Malaysia’s Putrajaya, has gradually become a center for major criminal activities following nightfall. The township was first created in 1993 by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) on 4,500 acres of land in the upazilas of Rupganj in Narayanganj and Kaliganj in Gazipur. During the day, the town is crowded with people and has road traffic. But after nightfall, things significantly change, and locals are always afraid of drug misuse, kidnapping, theft, muggings, and the frequent discovery of dead bodies in remote areas.
The construction of the Kuril-Kanchan 300-foot road is one example of the quick infrastructure development that has greatly increased public transportation during the day. However, the inner residential blocks are still terribly dark and despairing. Due to scattered houses and delayed flat buildings, vast areas of land remain vacant, creating vast, unmonitored zones. Locals claim that criminals intentionally take advantage of these empty, dark areas to carry out local crimes and dispose of remains that have been transported from far away. The danger of these empty locations is further increased by the absence of consistent electricity regulation, little lighting, and irregular police patrols.
The constant insecurity that affects their lives and belongings has caused residents to express extreme frustration and concern. Highlighting the terrible circumstances, resident Mr. Momen Mia stated, ‘We remain deeply terrified after dark and into the night in this remote town. Our goats and livestock are taken even in the daytime. We are terrified to stay in our houses at night.’ He called on the government to give Purbachal extra attention by increasing police presence and implementing a continuous patrol system.
Mr. Abdul Hai Molla, a resident, expressed these worries, pointing out that Purbachal was once supposed to improve communication and raise the level of living for the people of Rupganj, but it is gradually becoming a shelter for criminal activity. Mr. Molla emphasized the need for quick infrastructure and urban development, saying, ‘Our request to the government is to properly develop Purbachal for the benefit of Rupganj citizens. It is necessary to make plans for energy and enough lighting. Moreover, a situation must be developed so that real owners may quickly develop structures and apartments on empty lands’.
Law enforcement and local government officials have promised to improve security measures around the township in response to the growing public outrage. Assistant Superintendent of Police in Narayanganj (C-Circle), Mr. Mehedi Islam, emphasized the importance of technology monitoring, saying that police are actively trying to reduce crime and that setting up enough CCTV cameras will make it much simpler to quickly identify and arrest criminals. Additionally, Mr. Saiful Islam Joy, the Rupganj Upazila Executive Officer (UNO), confirmed coordinated administrative efforts to maintain law and order, committing immediate action against drug trafficking, kidnapping, and muggings while holding talks to increase CCTV coverage and street lighting in remote areas.
