Robberies using firearms were a permanent fixture in 2014 despite police claims that gun crimes had declined, with experts saying improper policing, the sheltering of criminals, and drug addiction were fuelling the crime wave.
Take the shooting robbery of a private car on December 8. Like a Hollywood action film, muggers riding on seven motorbikes, two per bike, stopped a car belonging to Monadik Enterprise in front of the Proshika building in Mirpur, shot its driver Jahid Hossain, and made off with Tk87 lakh.
The driver survived his gun-shot injuries. The crime is still under investigation and the money has not been recovered. Police detained three suspects but believe the crime’s masterminds are still at large.
A month before that, on November 10, three muggers stopped garment official Ajit Kumar and security guard Belayet Hossain in broad daylight in the Petrol Pump area of Hazipara in Dhaka’s Rampura neighbourhood, and took off with Tk2.8 lakh.
Neither the assailants nor the money have been tracked down.
On September 4, muggers attacked money exchange businessman, Israil Hossain, in the capital’s Shantipur area and stole Tk38 lakh after killing his only son, Sharif Hossain Saimon.
Police recovered Tk3.99 lakh, so far, and arrested two suspects.
Rampant armed robbery plagued the country last year, with estimates multiple incidents of robbery with a firearm or other deadly weapon taking place everyday across the country.
Only a tiny fraction of the crimes are reported to police, according to experts and victims.
Crime statistics at police headquarters showed some 823 cases of muggings filed across the country last year. Dhaka Metropolitan Police records show the corresponding figure of 226 reports in the capital.
Victims told the Dhaka Tribune that although they sometimes filed cases after losing their valuables, they lose interest in running the case when it seems unlikely the goods will ever be found.
Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said police were increasing their patrolling of the capital.
Incidents of mugging were decreasing daily and many muggers had been arrested, he said.
Asked about the recovery of looted money, he said muggers divide up the spoils of their crimes and spend it all long before they are found out and arrested.
Police intelligence officials said, of the capital’s top 100 mugging spots, some of the big ones are Malibagh intersection, Kakrail, Rajarbagh Police Line gate number one, Kamalapur Railway Station, Shantinagar, Eastern Plus Market, Mirpur 1 intersection, Technical intersection, Mohakhali Bus stand, Uttara’s Jasimuddin Road, Rampura Bridge, Moghbazar, Jigatola Bus Stand, Babubazar and Hatirjheel.
The use of guns during muggings and robberies has increased in recent times.
Police intelligence officials said at least 25 organised gangs were behind the armed robberies.
In Mirpur, the Khalifa, Arman, Akther, Monir and Babu groups are active; the Shahidul and Rajab groups prey on residents and commuters in Tejgaon; the Sohel and Forman groups are active in Badda; Nasir, Lengra Bacchu, Kailla Sentu, Akter, Atim Monir, Imu, Jakir, Arif, Sultan, Jahangir and Sagor groups work in Gulshan; and the Makbul group is active in Motijheel.
Furthermore, muggers are operating in the guise of the well-to-do, or are being joined by well-heeled criminals.
Rakibul Haque, a bank official, was recently mugged while on his way to Mohakhali from Gulshan by rickshaw. Around 9:30pm, an expensive private car stopped his rickshaw. Its occupants beat him badly and took his valuables.
Rakib said his assailants were all aged between 20 and 28 years.
“They looked drunk and I think they took the money to buy drugs,” he said. Rakib said he would not file a case because he believes it is pointless to do so.
Former chairman of the criminology and police science department at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Associate Professor Mohammad Azizur Rahman, said muggings occur for basically three reasons.
The prime reasons are negligent investigations by law enforcement officials; drugs, which account for 80% of muggings; and the political shelter of criminals.
Azizur said muggings could easily be controlled but fair investigations and the enforcement of strict punishments for criminals were required.
Punishment must be meted out not only to criminals but also their shelterers, he added.
Abdur Rahim Khan, former additional inspector general of police, said police could achieve anything if they wanted to.
Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch of police, said plain-clothes policemen were patrolling the capital. “Our success rate is growing day by day and we hope these crimes can be brought under control,” he said.