Drive against mugging

That muggers have become increasingly active in the capital over the past week or so, is no good news for shoppers and others who have, of necessity, to carry big amount of cash. It is the time for self-abnegation and it is also the time for preparation for the big festival. So increasing business transactions and spending spree by people are not confined only to the capital. In fact, economy receives the greatest boost ever every year during the month of Ramadan for reasons understandable. Pickpockets, muggers and robbers naturally try to make the most of the time as opportunities before them are wide open for similar reasons. Yet it must be admitted that the cases involving gangs like the ones known as 'malam party' (who use a kind of balm in their victims' eyes to leave them blind or even dead) have rarely been reported this year. A series of successful police operation against them last year seems to have brought the menace under control.
Surely, it is not easy to set muggers -both professional and part-time - on the run overnight because in cities like Dhaka and the divisional ones, they take advantage of a fabulously large number of people among whom a few at some point become their easy target. They prowl lonely streets or lanes at odd times and waylay people to snatch away money and valuables. At times, the daredevils among them surprise unsuspecting victims amidst the crowd when only the muggers and the mugged know what is happening. Passers-by ignore them as if friends or acquaintances are exchanging banters or information. Yet not all muggers are reluctant to use firearms or lethal weapons they carry with them. Where big money is involved, they arrive in cars or on motorbikes to swoop on their targets in a style it is shown on the silver screen. These are trained gangs who even keep open the option of fighting the law enforcement agencies. In an incident like this recently Tk 5.9 million was recovered from a mugger after a gunfight in Eskaton area.
Clearly, the 'malam' parties may have gone disorganised following raids on their hideouts but gangs wielding firearms are still very much active. Now that a member of the gang has been captured red-handed, it should not be a difficult task to arrest the other members of the same gang. A successful operation against one such gang pushes similar other gangs on the defensive. They too are haunted by the fear of getting caught and forced to adopt a more cautionary approach. So the best strategy is to nab the gangs before they can embark on their hideous operation. The law enforcers are quite aware of the movements of these criminal gangs. If they spread their security net prudently, there is no reason why the gangs will enjoy liberty to carry on their criminal operations. Unless a few dishonest members within the law enforcement agencies collude with the gangs, crimes like mugging can never become a headache for the administration.