Law and order under a stress in the city
Friday, 5 February 2010
THREE separate cases of snatchings, all on the same day, were reported in Dhaka city last Monday in which the muggers got away with about Taka 1.8 million from the victims. The latter either had drawn the money from bank accounts or were on their way to take the amounts to their business establishments or work destinations. The holders of the money also suffered injuries as they tried in vain to resist the muggers. A spate of similar attacks took place in various places of the city over the last one month. In one such incident a gang of teenagers looted a jewellery shop in the old quarters of the city.
Meanwhile, the media have reported on the alarming rise in the underground business of addictive drugs. The gangs peddling such drugs are considered to be stronger than ever before and the laxity of the law enforcers is very worrying. There is no need to explain how the rather unrestrained activities of the drug peddlers and smugglers and the consequent widening circles of the users of the drugs, is helping to spawn crimes of different sorts. The addicted young ones in growing number, finding no other way of sustaining their addiction habit, are only prone to snatchings and other crimes to lay their hands on money to be able to maintain their daily dosages of different addictive substances.
Understandably, there is concern among the law-abiding people in the city about the clear signs of straining of the law and order conditions. There was much hue and cry over the sudden rise in crimes, after a relative phase of abatement of such activities during the tenure of the army-backed last caretaker government in Dhaka and also all over the country. It cannot be said that the present elected government has been unresponsive to these charges; it accepted the same and responded to the public outcry to provide adequate security. Thus, the law and order conditions in Dhaka city and to some extent in other parts of the country could otherwise be considered as having improved in the later part of the first year of this government. But these favourable changes seem now to have not been sustainable, certainly not in the case of Dhaka city as the latest situation clearly indicates.
There is also another dimension to the law and order situation. The death sentence against the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been carried out and the government is poised to start the trial of the alleged war criminals. These are highly sensitive political developments. Therefore, there is a need on the part of the security agencies to mount and sustain vigilance for a period of time to pre-empt any trouble-makers. Whatever the real reasons for the crime spurts, the same call for immediate recognition and a befitting response from the government in every form. Specially, the police need to be whipped up to deliver better in every way in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the media have reported on the alarming rise in the underground business of addictive drugs. The gangs peddling such drugs are considered to be stronger than ever before and the laxity of the law enforcers is very worrying. There is no need to explain how the rather unrestrained activities of the drug peddlers and smugglers and the consequent widening circles of the users of the drugs, is helping to spawn crimes of different sorts. The addicted young ones in growing number, finding no other way of sustaining their addiction habit, are only prone to snatchings and other crimes to lay their hands on money to be able to maintain their daily dosages of different addictive substances.
Understandably, there is concern among the law-abiding people in the city about the clear signs of straining of the law and order conditions. There was much hue and cry over the sudden rise in crimes, after a relative phase of abatement of such activities during the tenure of the army-backed last caretaker government in Dhaka and also all over the country. It cannot be said that the present elected government has been unresponsive to these charges; it accepted the same and responded to the public outcry to provide adequate security. Thus, the law and order conditions in Dhaka city and to some extent in other parts of the country could otherwise be considered as having improved in the later part of the first year of this government. But these favourable changes seem now to have not been sustainable, certainly not in the case of Dhaka city as the latest situation clearly indicates.
There is also another dimension to the law and order situation. The death sentence against the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been carried out and the government is poised to start the trial of the alleged war criminals. These are highly sensitive political developments. Therefore, there is a need on the part of the security agencies to mount and sustain vigilance for a period of time to pre-empt any trouble-makers. Whatever the real reasons for the crime spurts, the same call for immediate recognition and a befitting response from the government in every form. Specially, the police need to be whipped up to deliver better in every way in the coming days.