Commuters in the port city of Chittagong, particularly motorcyclists, preferred taking the flyovers to avoid traffic congestion. However, the recent rise in mugging incidents on flyovers has compelled them to drop that choice.
Although most mugging incidents go unreported as the victims do not go to the police to avoid the inconvenience, over 50 mugging incidents have taken place in the last six months on flyovers, according to media reports.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the police have arrested 45 people in the last 10 days for their suspected involvement in criminal activities on flyovers. Most of the arrested are teenagers and they mug people to finance their drug addiction.
On July 28, RAB 7 arrested six members of a mugging gang, including two minors, who snatched valuables from flyover commuters.
Mahmudul Hasan, assistant director (media) of RAB 7, told Dhaka Tribune that the arrested were frisked and our knives used for mugging were recovered from their possession.
“During primary interrogation, they confessed to have been mugging on flyovers for a long time. Later, they were handed over to the Akbarshah police station for further legal procedures,” said the RAB 7 spokesperson.
The police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has been assigned to investigate the muggings on the flyovers of the port city.
PBI Inspector of Chittagong Md Firoz said they started investigating the mugging incidents on the flyovers following directives from PBI headquarters.
Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Akbarshah police station told Dhaka Tribune that some homeless teenagers have become addicted to sniffing glue and have taken to mugging to meet their addiction needs.
Abul Kashem Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of Panchlaish police station said they have arrested 35 people, including 22 teenagers, in recent times who engage in crimes on flyovers.
“Two cases have been lodged in connection to mugging on flyovers. The teen muggers are addicted to sniffing glue,” the OC said.
Sniffing glue is a very common but risky practice among street children in the country.
The glue they sniff is used for repairing or joining items of leather, rubber etc. The glue is pasted inside a plastic bag and then the vapour of the solution is inhaled until it is exhausted.
According to leading sociologists and psychologists, the lack of parental guidance, fragile family bonds and moral degradation, a false sense of heroism and a culture of impunity, peer pressure, substance abuse, and a disadvantaged socioeconomic status, all contribute to the growing incidents of juvenile delinquency.
“No statistics are available to police since no records are kept separately about juvenile offenders. There is no in-depth study about juvenile delinquency in the country. However, it is beyond doubt that crimes committed by these teenagers are increasing alarmingly in recent times,” said Mahabub Ul Alam, Chittagong unit In-Charge of Aparajeyo-Bangladesh, an organization working for child rights.
"The juvenile correctional facilities in the country exist in name only. The facilities should be developed into proper correctional institutions. Cases filed for juvenile delinquency should be disposed of without delay since any procrastination has a negative impact on a teenage offender,” said the rights activist.
