Law and order in the capital

Criminal activities, including armed robbery, have of late become common in the capital. There has been an increase in criminal activities since the beginning of 2009 in areas like Gulshan, Banani and Uttara of the capital where residents, expatriates and foreigners have fallen victim to armed robberies. Citizens are living in a state of fear. The scenario attests to the city's low law-enforcement capability and weak governance.
Travelling alone on roads in Dhaka, particularly at night, could be dangerous. Cars, buses and trucks often drive at high speed without headlights on. All classes of drivers overtake other vehicles at inappropriate moments causing deaths and grievous injuries. Head-on collisions are occurring frequently.
Rickshaws and CNGs now move erratically and their drivers show little respect to traffic laws, without caring to indicate as to their emergence from side streets at high speed. Most of the streets are unlit at night; therefore, it is difficult to see in the dark. The Dhaka City Corporations and the traffic police need to take extra care on these points.
There is neither use of modern technology such as red light auto cameras, traffic signs, regulatory sign, and destination board nor an effective traffic control police force. Therefore, robberies are easy to be committed and the criminals can run away quickly from the spot.
The practice of people sitting on the roofs of buses and trains, coupled with severe overcrowding inside vehicles, adds to the risks of petty crimes like pick-pocketing.
On the other hand, most of the city roads are congested and their conditions are hazardous.
When this writer came to Bangladesh after one decade for fieldwork research, she noticed how a minor situation could quickly get out of control and turn into violence. The risk of crimes increases in darkness. It is not safe for walking or travelling alone in public transports after dusk. It is found that hijackers, often followed by a car and armed with guns and knives and operating in teams, prey upon people travelling alone in rickshaws, taxi cabs, baby taxis, and CNGs (motorised rickshaws) and private cars.
So far, 134 died in Dhaka metropolitan area in this year due to the negligence of police in enforcing laws on roads and streets.
At Sonargaon crossing, the very spot where journalist Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury was killed, passengers were seen even on Sunday jumping off from running buses as usual. Police sergeants were seen standing close by without bothering to book the drivers. They were rather busy with checking jaywalkers.
In reducing high traffic pressure, infrastructure of Dhaka city needs to be decentralised. The city needs to be expanded in terms of areas. The law enforcement agencies also must increase their personnel as well as the number of check posts in Dhaka, its periphery, and other districts .
The need of the hour is good governance which can help develop healthy social and political environment, human development, and infrastructure of the country. Strict adherence to the rule of law everywhere is what is badly needed today.
The writer is a Doctoral candidate, the University of Toronto, Canada.  [email protected]