Rajbongshi, a gold trader from Kamrangirchar, was on his way home in Hazaribagh on his motorcycle on January 23 after closing his shop, carrying 70 bhoris of gold and around Tk4 lakh. As he reached Section Dhal, a group of criminals on multiple motorcycles shot him in the leg and snatched the gold and cash.
Just two days earlier, at around 9:30pm on January 21, a gang attacked the owner of a money exchange business and another person near Gulshan 2 DCC Market, hitting and stabbing them before looting nearly Tk1 crore.
Abdul Kader Shikdar, the owner of City Monetary Exchange, said he and his brother-in-law, Amir Hamza, were heading home on their motorcycle after closing their business.
As they reached the market entrance, around 15 to 20 assailants stopped them, attacked them with rods and knives, and fled with the bag containing cash, according to him.
Earlier that day, at around 3:30am in Bijoynagar, Paltan, a young man named Saju Molla, 22, was stabbed to death by muggers.
These incidents are becoming a daily occurrence in Dhaka, leaving many people destitute, with residents becoming increasingly concerned as crimes involving weapons, including muggings, are on the rise.
People of all ages are falling victim to fatal stabbings by muggers, and the increasing number of robberies and violent crimes is making the city’s alleys and streets unsafe, heightening public anxiety.
As night falls, Dhaka’s busiest streets turn into crime zones. Muggers roam crime-prone areas from evening to late at night, attacking unsuspecting pedestrians.
In many cases, motorcyclists become their targets, as criminals snatch mobile phones, bags and other valuables before speeding away.
Notably, muggings have increased in Hazaribagh, Jatrabari, Mirpur, Paltan, Shahbagh, Tejgaon and Mohammadpur, with criminals mostly targeting lone pedestrians at night.
According to police sources, crimes in the capital have increased by approximately 25% in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Over the past few months, the frequency of thefts and muggings has left the general public terrified.
On Saturday, students blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to protest the rise in crime and demand action, saying that every day, 60-70 muggings occurred from Tongi Bazar to Gazipur.
In recent days, they said, at least 20 students had fallen victim to muggings in Tongi, adding that criminals were attacking pedestrians with sharp weapons, leading to fatalities.
The police had completely failed to curb these crimes, the protesters remarked.
A victim from Mohammadpur shared his ordeal. “While returning home from the market in the evening, two motorcyclists blocked my path. One of them snatched my mobile phone and wallet. When I tried to shout, they brandished a weapon to intimidate me.”
A businessman from Gulshan recounted a similar experience, saying: “While returning home from the bank, armed robbers stopped my car and took all my money. Even after filing a police complaint, I have seen no progress.”
According to Police Headquarters, from January to December last year, 2,344 cases were lodged over theft, mugging and robbery in the capital.
Of these, 2,175 cases involved theft and mugging.
However, experts believe the real numbers are much higher, as most mugging incidents go unreported.
Many victims, especially of minor snatchings like mobile phones, do not file complaints, they say, as police are usually approached only in cases involving fatalities, severe injuries or large-scale robberies, leaving many crimes undocumented.
Special police operations to curb crime have yielded little success.
Recently, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner said the authorities were ramping up efforts to identify criminals through CCTV surveillance, patrolling and intelligence gathering.
However, the general public remains anxious and continues to call for stronger security measures.
Expert opinion
Experts argue that tackling crime requires increased manpower and better technology, adding that raising public awareness and ensuring community cooperation are also crucial.
They say more resources should be allocated to modernizing and training law enforcement agencies.
If crime is not effectively controlled, Dhaka’s security situation may deteriorate further, they fear.
Dr Md Omar Faruk, chairman of the Department of Criminology and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, linked rising crime to economic instability, unemployment and lack of social security.
The lack of CCTV cameras in Dhaka made it difficult to monitor criminal activity, he noted, calling for more police patrols and innovative policing strategies to curb crime and bring criminals to justice.
Omar said public awareness and cooperation with law enforcement could help curb crime. “If ordinary citizens remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the police, crime rates can be reduced.”
Meanwhile, DMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam claimed crime had decreased, adding that special police operations were underway and many identified criminals had been arrested in recent months.
