Dhaka-Chattogram Highway Faces Fear of Rising Robbery at Night

Kamal Ataturk Mishel

Fear of robbery increases at night on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, known as the economic lifeline of the country. As darkness falls, robbery gangs become active on the highway. A series of robberies has turned the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway into a source of fear.

From cargo vehicles to passenger buses, no vehicle is safe from the robbery gangs. Even ambulances carrying patients and vehicles carrying wedding guests are not being spared. Robbers stop vehicles on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway and loot passengers at gunpoint. In some cases, robberies are also being carried out by people posing as law enforcement officers.

According to available information, more than 30,000 buses, trucks, covered vans, long vehicles, private cars, microbuses and other types of vehicles travel on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway every day. People also regularly use the highway to travel to Chattogram, the country’s commercial city, as well as Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Teknaf, Saint Martin’s and other parts of the country.

Most of the country’s import and export goods are also transported through Chattogram Port. As a result, the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway remains extremely busy. Yet people travelling on this highly important highway are facing serious security concerns. A series of robberies and snatching incidents has created widespread fear and insecurity in the country’s transport sector.

Law enforcement agencies say members of robbery gangs are involved in different professions during the day. Some work part-time in garment factories, while others run small businesses or drive auto-rickshaws. At night, however, they become dangerous criminals.

The worrying part is that robbers are no longer limiting themselves to stealing passengers’ money and valuables. They are not hesitating to stab or even shoot people. Many victims do not want to get involved with the police after being robbed. At times, police at the concerned stations are also reluctant to accept cases. However, law enforcement members, foreign nationals, returning expatriate passengers and ordinary travellers are all falling victim to these robbers.

Various sources say robberies are taking place almost every night on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. In isolated areas of the highway, robbers target private cars, microbuses coming from the airport and pickup vans. They also throw iron rods, pipes or other heavy objects at moving vehicles.

When drivers become frightened by the loud sound and stop their vehicles a short distance away, armed criminals hiding nearby quickly take the passengers hostage. In other cases, robbers tie the hands and legs of drivers of trucks and covered vans loaded with goods, and sometimes kill them before taking the vehicles and goods to unknown locations.

At times, robbers block moving vehicles and, at gunpoint, steal money, mobile phones, gold jewellery and other valuables before fleeing quickly. Mr. Kamruzzaman, who was robbed at Gomta on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway on August 30, said the robbers threw a piece of iron rod at their vehicle.

He said, “The members of the robbery gang threw a piece of rod at the vehicle. When it made a sound, our driver thought the pickup had a punctured tyre. Since the vehicle was moving at high speed, he stopped it some distance away. Within a few minutes, a group of seven to eight robbers arrived with different weapons and took away everything we had. They beat several people and quickly left the scene.”

Earlier, on August 23, Mohammad Shahjahan, director of a rent-a-car business in Lalmai upazila, was attacked by robbers in the Bhoberchar section of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. The robbers took his cash and mobile phone. When he resisted, they stabbed him and left him seriously injured. People involved in the rent-a-car business have demanded immediate and effective measures to prevent robbery and snatching on the highway and ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.

Amzad Hossain, a cargo vehicle driver travelling towards Dhaka in Chandina, said, “Sometimes cargo trucks and covered vans are stopped in the name of DB police and their goods are looted under the pretext of searching the vehicles.” He said some people are later forced to buy the same goods back from the robbers to maintain their export shipments on schedule.

An official of the Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van and Goods Transport Owners Association confirmed the matter. He said vehicles are stopped on the road by people posing as DB police and the drivers are taken away. The robbers then drive away the trucks or covered vans. He said transport agencies sometimes have to buy back the looted goods from the robbers themselves.

Several cargo transport vehicles have been robbed on the highway during the first eight months of this year. Police have also recovered some of the looted goods. Robberies are increasing not only on heavy cargo vehicles but also on passenger buses and private cars.

Various sources say robbery gangs are using new methods to carry out these crimes on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. The highest number of robberies reportedly occurs at seven points: Bhoberchar in Munshiganj, Kanchpur in Narayanganj, Meghna Bridge, Lalpur in Feni, Gumti in Cumilla, and areas extending to Kumira in Sitakunda and Mirsharai in Chattogram.

Robbers use different methods to target vehicles at these points. Several robbery gangs operate in areas based in Sitakunda, Bhatiary and Mirsharai. These syndicates have more than 100 members. The organised gangs are also allegedly working in collusion with some truck drivers and helpers.

Before a vehicle carrying goods leaves Chattogram Port for Dhaka, information about it allegedly reaches the gang members by mobile phone. Robbers remain active at different points along the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway and nearby areas. As a result, these areas are considered highly risky for transporting goods.

On May 8, robbers attempted to attack a microbus carrying police personnel in the Bhatiary area of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. As police members were inside the vehicle, they immediately chased the attackers and managed to arrest one robber from the scene. The following day, Saturday night, a microbus carrying Hindu wedding guests was attacked by robbers in the Nunachhara area while returning from a wedding ceremony. The criminals held the passengers at gunpoint and looted their money, mobile phones and gold jewellery.

The passengers said the entire incident took place within a few minutes. They alleged that robbery gangs are becoming increasingly reckless because there are not enough police patrols in important sections of the highway late at night. Several parts of Nunachhara, Barabkunda, Kumira, Bara Aulia, Bhatiary and Fouzdarhat have particularly become high-risk zones. As the night progresses, ordinary vehicles also travel through these areas in fear.

A government official from Cumilla, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he was travelling from Dhaka to Feni a few days ago. Near Chauddagram, several masked men stopped his vehicle, beat him and took away his money and phone. Since then, he has been afraid to travel on the highway at night.

Drivers of different vehicles using the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway are frustrated by the repeated incidents of robbery and snatching. Ordinary people often avoid going to the police because they fear further harassment. However, police have already arrested several suspected robbers in connection with a number of incidents.

Private car driver Md Russell said people often lose everything to robbers but do not want to file cases. The main reason, he said, is that people believe they will not recover their belongings even after filing a case. Instead, they may face various legal complications as the complainant.

Transport sector representatives said a major part of the country’s import-export trade, transportation of raw materials for industries and communication between Chattogram Port and the rest of the country depends on this highway. As a result, they fear that if insecurity continues to increase, it could pose a major risk not only to passenger services but also to the national economy.

A member of a law enforcement agency, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some truck and cargo vehicle drivers and helpers are allegedly working in collusion with organised robbery gangs. According to him, before leaving for Dhaka or Chattogram with goods, they inform the robbers about the vehicle by mobile phone. The robbers then take positions at a specific location and carry out the robbery when the vehicle arrives. After the robbery, a portion of the looted goods allegedly goes to the drivers and helpers who provided the information.

Regarding the matter, Sitakunda Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Alamgir Hossain said, “The recent incidents of theft and robbery are being investigated seriously. Police patrols on the highway have been strengthened, and operations to identify the criminals are continuing.” However, highway police responsible for the highway said they have increased intelligence surveillance to arrest members of the robbery gangs.

There are only 11 highway police outposts. As a result, the shortage of law enforcement personnel is also making it difficult to prevent robberies. The police outposts do not have enough manpower to provide security across such a vast highway. However, a new concern is that some drivers and helpers of cargo vehicles are allegedly working in collusion with the robbers.

Assistant Police Commissioner Aminur Rashid, who is serving as the additional officer in charge of the Chattogram Circle, said, “Our patrol police are on duty at night. However, our police stations and outposts do not have enough force, and there is also a shortage of vehicles. Even so, we are making our best efforts.” He added, “We have also heard about incidents of theft and snatching on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. However, no one has ever come to us to lodge a complaint.”