Dhaka’s illegal slums have become haven for crimes including extortion, drug supply, mugging and child trafficking, according to sources of intelligence department.
Crimes in these slums have increased ahead of Eid, as they do before any major holidays. Local political leaders often control the criminal activities from behind the scenes.
Hundreds of people who live in 4,000 unauthorised slums in Dhaka are mostly controlled by political party cadres and involved in criminal activities. Law enforcers’ efforts to control the crimes have proved to be useless. Most of these criminals are between 18-24 years and will indulge into any crime for money, sometimes for as little as Tk500- 1000.
This correspondent spoke to several slum residents involved in criminal activities. Many of them say slum dwellers become involved in criminal activities due to lack of income opportunities and education. Most of the slum dwellers are illiterate and cannot provide education to their children.
Mokarram Hossain, a resident of Postagola DIT Pot slum, said he had been dealing drugs for the last eight years. He came to capital from Barisal and took shelter in Titipara slum. He became involved with a drug syndicate at the age of 14 in 2004.
Local political leaders control this drugs business, Mokarram said, but refused to name any.
Mokarram said the syndicate sells Phensedyl, Heroin, marijuana and Yaba all day long in the slums. Besides, they make hand bombs and sell firearms. The weapons are sold only to known clients to avoid risks, and the syndicate maintains a register for these clients.
The residents of these slums are involved in all kinds of criminal activities, which rise up before Eid, or any big festivals.
Unicef, private organisations VIVA, Help For You, Retired Police Official Welfare Association and several government agencies have all estimated the number of Dhaka’s slum dwellers to be around four million.
A Rab intelligence official, seeking anonymity, said Rab was searching for the masterminds behind the criminal operations in the capital’s slums. Recently, they traced some of the masterminds and were gathering proof in order to arrest them.
Shamsul Haque Tuku, state minister for home, told our correspondent that steps had been taken to control slum based criminal activities.
“Action will be taken against those people who are using slum dwellers for criminal activities after identifying their origins and current location,” he added.
He further added one of the reasons the slum dwellers become involved in all kinds of crimes was that they were socially marginalised.