Robberies Continue Day and Night in Chattogram

Robberies are taking place across Chattogram city both during the day and at night. At least 50 spots in the city reportedly witness robberies every day, from early morning to morning and from 10pm until late at night. Police at the respective stations are unaware of most of these incidents. Victims often do not file complaints because they believe they will not receive any remedy even after going to the police station.

Meanwhile, a video of a robbery taking place openly just a few hundred yards behind Kotwali Police Station went viral on social media on Saturday. The incident has triggered strong anger among netizens. Many have also shared frightening experiences of themselves or their friends, relatives and neighbours being robbed.

Victims said police have become inactive in the city. There are no regular patrol teams. Taking advantage of the situation, robbers have become increasingly reckless. A large number of robbers are reportedly drug addicts. They stab victims while carrying out robberies. Many people are forced to hand over their money and mobile phones out of fear for their lives. Some areas of the city have now become safe havens for robbers.

Robbery Near Kotwali Police Station

A disturbing scene was captured in the video that went viral following the robbery. The video shows a road running alongside the boundary wall of Kotwali Police Station. Vehicles and pedestrians can be seen using the road from the windows of the police station. A passenger travelling in a rickshaw was reportedly held at knifepoint and robbed on the road early in the morning.

Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abu Zayed Mohammad Nazmun Nur said the video had come to their attention. However, no one had filed a complaint with the police regarding the incident. He said police had started an investigation on their own initiative and were trying to identify and locate the victim.

The footage of the robbery began spreading on Facebook from Saturday morning. Police confirmed that the incident took place at Satish Babu Lane in Patharghata area of the city. The video shows the victim travelling in a hand-pulled rickshaw. A bag placed near his feet suggests that he was returning after shopping.

Two robbers carrying knives stopped the rickshaw and took away the passenger’s money and belongings. When the victim struggled to take something out of his right pocket, the robbers were seen pulling and pushing him. At one point, one of the robbers was seen cutting the passenger’s right pocket with a knife. The other robber threatened him with a knife.

The passenger repeatedly pleaded, ‘Brother, I am giving it to you.’ The rickshaw puller looked helplessly at the robbers. People from nearby residential buildings saw the incident and began shouting. The robbers then took the passenger’s mobile phone and money and quickly fled in a battery-powered auto-rickshaw. Several pedestrians and residents chased the auto-rickshaw while shouting, ‘Catch them, beat them’. However, they failed to stop the vehicle. OC Mr. Abu Zayed said, “We still do not know when the robbery took place. We are looking into the matter.”