Golam Mortuja Antu

Dhaka's Mohammadpur, a residential haven for the city's middle class, has descended into a landscape of fear and disorder. The streets, once bustling with the daily rhythms of life, are now marred by the frenzied chaos of crime.

Perpetrators wielding machetes dash through alleys, their blades catching the sun in sinister flashes. The air is punctuated by the ominous echo of large firearms, a terrifying symphony for the unsuspecting residents.

Broad daylight, once the backdrop of mundane routines, now hosts brazen robberies. The community, ensnared by panic and terror, watches as their enclave transforms into a tableau of lawlessness and dread.

Scenes of people being hacked to death, a woman being harassed and robbed by a group of five and several others videos have recently gone viral on social media, stoking fear among the residents of Mohammadpur.

Some have even taken to Facebook to announce they are leaving the neighbourhood amid growing fears of violent crimes.

After the political upheaval in August, Mohammadpur has suddenly become a safe haven for criminals.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, at least seven people were killed in several incidents of shootings and stabbings in the Mohammadpur Police Station area. At least six others were injured in separate incidents of shooting.

In addition, vehicles are being stopped in the middle of the road and being looted. Some are also engaging in ‘gang fights’.

WHY A PARADISE FOR CRIMINALS?

According to police, the reason behind this is the Geneva Camp in Mohammadpur – the largest settlement for Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh.

Several reports suggest that the stolen weapons from police stations went into the hands of the criminals living in the Geneva Camp after the Awami League government was toppled.

Armed with these stolen weapons, the existing groups of drug dealers in the area have been engaging in bloody conflicts among themselves.

In addition to the Geneva Camp, other crime prone areas in Mohammadpur include Basila, Rayer Bazar, Dhaka Udyan, and Chandrima Udyan areas.

Since housing is cheap, the areas adjacent to Mohammadpur’s Beribadh have become home to many rising criminals.

These groups are engaging in conflicts to take control of extortion related crimes from illegal vehicles, occupation of footpaths, and sale of drugs.

Under the current circumstances, police say that it has become very difficult for them to bring law and order in the area. They claim it is almost ‘impossible’ to handle the situation by regular policing.

KEY CRIME EVENTS

Aug 6: Shahen Shah was shot dead over a drug related dispute at the Geneva Camp.

Sept 4: Sonu, a rickshaw puller, was shot dead amid a drug related conflict at the Geneva Camp.

Sept 20: Two individuals by the name of Nasir and Munna were murdered after a chase, counter-chase near Sadeq Khan storehouse.

Oct 10: Perpetrators murdered Rabiul Islam, the night guard of Dhaka Udyan, after getting caught during a robbery.

Oct 16: An individual by the name of Shahnewaz or Shahnemaz was killed after being shot at the Geneva Camp.

Oct 17: CNG auto rickshaw driver Shahriar Ashiq was beaten to death on suspicion of being a thief in Mohammadpur’s Basila.
MORE INCIDENTS

Oct 18: Shia Mosque Market President Abul Hossain, and his brother Mahbub Hossain were shot to death over a market committee dispute.

Oct 20: Tk 1,200,000 was looted from a pickup van of Nestle on the Mohammadia Housing Limited road around 10am.

According to local residents, there are regular robberies in Basila, the three-road junction, and Geneva Camp areas. Some of the robberies have also been retrieved from video footage.

A video of a young woman being robbed in Block B, Road no. 4A of Nobodoy Housing Society on Oct 20 has recently gone viral on social media. The video clips of the incident show five youths trying to snatch the girl’s bag while threatening her with sharp weapons in broad daylight. Later, the perpetrators harassed her and threw her veil on the ground when she refused to hand over the bag. The girl then dropped her belongings and ran away crying.

According to a security guard of that road, people began to gather after the girl ran away. She later left after getting on a rickshaw. Her name and address could not be known.

Mahbubul Islam, a resident of Mohammadpur and member of the BNP’s central committee, told bdnews24.com: “I had a few meetings with the officer-in-charge. But I have nothing to say about why such crimes are happening. Those of you who write the news will be able to say what is happening and why it is happening. We have nothing to say about this. We are also scared.”
“ABSOLUTE HELL”

A real estate trader in the capital’s Basila, who wished to remain anonymous, told bdnews24.com: “The local gangs have been clashing in the open for the past one year. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina in August, everything seems to be happening out in the open. Alam, Billal, Monty, Munna, Hamim – these people have a group here in Future Town Housing. There is a drug case against their group leader Alam.”

“Earlier, Awami League leader Faruq controlled them. Now, their control is in somebody else’s hand. They are doing whatever they want night and day. They are entering the rooftop of sites [buildings under construction]. They are taking rod-cement, and other stuff belonging to the masons in their trucks or vans.”

According to this businessman, Alam-Billal’s group has a rivalry with another group in the Chand Udyan. The two groups fight running battles with sharp weapons regularly, he added.

They have created a ‘hellish environment’ in the neighbourhood, the real estate businessman said. “There are many ready flats here which have yet to be rented. The situation is such that those who had rented the flats have left the area, or are thinking of leaving it. Many developers and businessmen are worried about selling the flats.”

An individual by the name of Khondkar Rafi wrote in a Facebook group called ‘Amra Mohammadpurbashi’ that around 3:30pm on Oct 19, two of his house mates were robbed in Basila’s 40 Feet Road.

His post reads: “Three people were walking home after having lunch at a restaurant. Suddenly, nine to ten intoxicated street youths surrounded two of them with sharp weapons in their hands. Another person, who was a little ahead of them, ran after seeing this. They robbed two mobile phones and took Tk 9,000 from their pockets.”

REGULAR POLICING ‘NOT HELPING’

When asked why cases of robberies and murders are taking place in the public, Mohammadpur Police Station chief Iftekhar Hasan, said: “There is a high crime rate here. A lot of crimes have been taking place here already. If you see the video footage of this area, it would seem like three friends are going out for tea. But then they rob whoever comes in front of them.”

“A man was walking along the road inside a neighbourhood with hundreds of houses on both sides. Suddenly, three youths robbed him and left. This doesn’t match with the scenario of other places in Bangladesh. You will not find this scenario anywhere else in Bangladesh.”

While indicating that it is not possible to deal with these issues with regular policing in Mohammadpur, the official said: “We are doing what we can with regular policing. But the problem is that Mohammadpur is a crime hub.

The ideal environment required for the birth of crime and criminality has been created here. This is due to geographical or historical reasons.”

“The Geneva Camp has long been plagued with crime. A small space with over 55,000 people living in 15 acres of land. Nothing good except crime can happen here,” he added.

Opining that the situation in Mohammadpur needs to be thought about ‘specifically,’ he said: “The policy makers at the top should think about what can be done here. If necessary, experts should be brought in. Social scientists, criminologists should be brought in. It is difficult to prevent these crimes with regular policing.”

Speaking of Rayer Bazar, the official said: “The area is developing as a satellite town. People from one district [Bhola] and one thana [Ilisha] live here mostly. As such, there is no social balance here. Here, policemen are dominating and the local residents have become a minority. The way the demography of Cox’s Bazar changed after the arrival of Rohingya. The Rohingya are committing various crimes and the local residents are moving away.”

“Here, the local residents are being cornered by the oppression of the settlers. They have adopted the path of crime as their livelihood. It has not become a social problem.”

MANPOWER CRISIS IN POLICE STATIONS

Mohammadpur Police Station is the largest in Dhaka Metropolitan Police, or DMP, in terms of area and population.

Police think their manpower is already low. Due to the transfers, the allocation has been reduced by at least by 40 percent.

In addition to policemen, the 31 Ansar members have also left, further reducing the staffing of the police station.

Iftekhar told bdnews24.com: “Police force is already low right now. Under these circumstances, we had to increase everyone’s working hours. We now have to work with our lives at stake.”

“As the officer-in-charge, I can only sleep 4 to 5 hours a day. The rest of the time is spent on the road. We are taking all sorts of preventative measures. Patrolling has been increased. The operation is being carried out with the help of the army. We raided the Geneva Camp and recovered weapons, and drugs. Intelligence surveillance is ongoing.”

While emphasising on the importance of ‘social resistance,’ the OC said: “But sadly there is not enough response from the community. People are afraid. They are afraid of becoming victims of terror if they begin a social movement against terrorists. I am trying to encourage them. However, nowadays, people do come forward when police chase robbers on the road.”

Additional Deputy Commissioner Ziaul Haque of Tejgaon Police Station told bdnews24.com: “We are trying our best. At night, we are operating with DC sir to catch the robbers. But we don’t have enough police force yet. We are short on equipment. But we are still trying even though our lives are at risk.”

YOUTH GANGS

The activities of several gangs involved in juvenile crimes in Mohammadpur Police Station area have been making headlines for the past few years. These groups are commonly known as ‘Kishore Gangs’ or youth gangs.

According to local sources, many of them have now chosen crime as their means of livelihood.

When asked about the update on these youth gangs of Mohammadpur, the OC said: “Those teenagers are now young men. There are gangs. But the teenagers are no longer teenagers. Now, 20 percent of the robberies are committed by juveniles, the rest are adults.”

PRESSURE TO MAKE ARRESTS, FILE CASES

Several officers of Tejgaon Police Department and Mohammadpur Police Station claim that various leaders of different political parties who have become influential after the change of power in the government are now trying to ‘discipline’ their opponents.

“Every day, they are bringing in demands to arrest anyone and everyone accused in the cases filed over the July-August incident. A lot of calls are coming,” said an officer.

He added: “There are many accused in each case. The plaintiff may recognise Sheikh Hasina, or one or two of the ministers among them. But they are being controlled by local politicians.

“These leaders are also pressing for the arrests to discipline the opposition leaders of their party. Calls are coming in every hour – arrest him, release him and more. Meanwhile, the situation is getting worse in the area. We are not getting any support from the community.”

An officer of Mohammadpur Police Station said: “The people accused top terrorist Picchi Helal in the double murders that happened at the Sadeq Khan storehouse. Now, they are saying not to arrest Picchi Helal as he is an activist of Chhatra Dal.”

“The matter was reported to higher officials. But they did not issue any instructions.”

[Writing in English by Ruhshabah Tabassum Huda; editing by Biswadip Das]