Dentist latest victim of rising mugging incidents on Dhaka streets

Dentist Ahmed Mahi Bulbul was stabbed by muggers at the capital's Mirpur area in the early hours of Sunday. He was soon rushed to a hospital, but he was refused treatment because it was a mugging case. Bulbul died of blood loss later.

Family members said Bulbul, who also worked as a contractor, encountered the muggers on his way to work. They suspect that the incident could be a "planned murder".

Police said Bulbul had been taken to Al-Helal Hospital, but the hospital authorities declined to treat him and called the 999 hotline to inform them about the incident. Bulbul succumbed to his injuries by the time police arrived.

Bulbul is the latest victim of a crime that has plagued the capital city recently.

On 22 March, police Sub-Inspector Jahangir Mia was stabbed by muggers in front of the Gulistan TNT office. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

Police arrested two muggers, Emon and Jewel, from the area on the night of 23 March. They were taken to Bangshal police station where they randomly hit five policemen with Swiss gear knives, leaving a constable seriously injured.

The snatchers, who have lately become increasingly notorious in the capital, are snatching people's belongings from the roads and through the windows of buses. The incidents of snatching bags of cash, mobile phones and belongings from motorcycles while travelling in rickshaws are reported every now and then. While the number of victims are increasing, there are no statistics on the number of incidents.

Many victims say police are often reluctant to register cases over these incidents and mostly the cases are filed as theft incidents. Many do not even go to the police.

Shwarnolata Mondol, a student of Dhaka University, suffered a similar fate on her way to Curzon Hall from the TSC area on 14 March evening when muggers snatched her cellphone.

When she went to Shahbagh police station to file a case, she was advised to file a general diary (GD) instead of a case. When she did so, the term "snatched" was crossed off from her GD and replaced with "stolen".

"Despite repeated requests to register a case over the incident, they were initially reluctant to file it. Later, they lodged a theft case only after being instructed by their higher authority," Swarnalatha Mandal told The Business Standard.

Kajal Hossain, a service holder in Mohammadpur, also had his phone snatched by a group of youths from the Martyred Intellectuals Grave Yard area.

He grabbed one of them and tried to bring him to a crowded place but his attempts went in vain when the rest of the gang confronted him with sharp weapons forcing him to let go.

"Many people gathered when they surrounded me but no one dared to extend a helping hand. After I came out from there unscathed, I called 999 and asked for help. After an hour and a half, police came to the spot. They told me that I will be informed when they make any arrest," Kajal told The Business Standard.

He also said that he did not file a case or even a GD as he is doubtful of getting his phone back.  

According to 999 data, the number of calls seeking help from victims like Kajal has increased in the last few months.

Anwar Sattar, media officer with the National Emergency Service, told The Business Standard, "This not only indicates a rise in mugging, but also an increase in confidence in 999, which is why we are getting more calls. We connect the callers with the local police stations."

However, despite such efforts, the number of cases filed over mugging incidents fails to depict the true picture of such crimes in the city.

Most of the calls regarding mugging incidents came from DMP's Tejgaon division, 999 data shows.

The data reveals, there were 30 calls in January and February from the area but only 9 cases were filed with police stations. In all, there were at least 329 such calls between December-January from 50 police station areas under DMP. In contrast to the massive number, only 37 cases were filed over mugging with the police stations.

Besides, according to DMP data, 145 cases related to mugging were filed in 2021, 176 in 2020, 155 in 2019, 216 in 2018, 103 in 2017, 132 in 2016, 205 in 2015 and 265 in 2014.

In a bid to prevent mugging, the DMP has issued several instructions, including intensifying night and morning patrols, said a DMP source.

"However, the instructions are yet to prove fruitful as police officers continue to patrol city areas as negligently as before," the source added.

Asked about this, Mohammad Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner, Media and Public Relations Division of DMP, told The Business Standard, "We are taking the issue of rising mugging incidents seriously. Apart from intensifying police patrols, other police units are also working on this.

"In addition, the police stations have been given strict instructions to take the cases of the mugging victims. But, most of the victims do not go to the police stations to file cases, rendering us unable to take action in this regard."

Meanwhile, Mohammadpur is one of the most notorious areas for mugging in the capital.

Asked about it, Mujib Ahmed Patwari, assistant commissioner, Mohammadpur Zone Police, said the high cases of mugging in the area is due to its location being adjacent to a river.

"In most of the cases, the muggers, armed with various weapons, cross the river with the victims' mobile phones. Almost all the accused in such cases have been arrested so far. But they get out on bail and get involved in the same crime over and over again," he said.

Meanwhile, the DMP authorities, during the organisation's monthly crime-related meeting, said it fears that the number of thefts and muggings might increase in the capital.

Considering the situation, DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam has made a list of criminals to control theft, mugging and extortion and ordered their arrest.