Speakers at a discussion here on Monday voiced concern over the domestic violence and sexual harassment against women and children in the country.  Referring to recent cases of rape and attempted murder, they emphasised the urgent need for authorities to take immediate action to ensure justice for victims. Without such measures, perpetrators will continue to escape accountability, further encouraging others to commit similar crimes. In addition to, ensuring women’s empowerment can significantly reduce crimes against them, the speakers observed.   The discussion, titled “Reflection on Reality: Women’s Journey Towards Leadership and Empowerment,” was organized on Monday (March 10) by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) at the ALOK Training Center, MJF Tower, in capital’s Mirpur area to mark the International Women’s Day 2025 under the theme “For ALL women and girls: Rights, Equality and Empowerment.” In the welcome address, Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), said, “Many have wished me ‘Happy Women’s Day.’ Today, I am not actually happy.” Referring to the recent sexual violence against women and children, she said that she sees no reason to be joyful. The Law Adviser has directed that investigations must be completed within 15 days, and trials within 90 days on recent rape incident, they will observe how effectively this is implemented, she added. Condemning the incident strongly, Shaheen Anam said, “Eight years ago, a man was punished for raping a child, but he has now been released through legal loopholes. We must not lose hope. The next generation will take up the mantle. Every woman has the responsibility to stand together and resist all crimes.” In her keynote presentation, Banasree Mitra Neogi, director of Rights and Governance Programmes at MJF, said, “If someone asks me if I have been subjected to violence, I say no. But I always live in fear, afraid that someone might throw acid, pull my clothes, or say something obscene. Even if I am not physically or mentally abused, this fear itself is a form of harassment. Everyone must understand this. Violence will not stop until we build a society without fear.” “Women must break free from the deeply rooted patriarchal norms of our society. Instead of being silenced by shame or fear, we must raise our voices,” she added. France highlights importance of life free from discrimination, violence Banasree also said, “Garment workers are employed in leadership roles as low-wage, low-skilled laborers. There is an opportunity here to develop women’s skills. Additionally, we must ensure women’s participation in science-based education.” She questioned, “We have become dependent on social media. The recent rape incident in Magura touched our hearts because it was presented through reels. However, why is there no protest when a rapist from eight years ago is released and roams freely? Our tolerance and acceptance are increasing violence against women.” Nishath Sultana, director of Influencing, Campaign and Communications, Plan International Bangladesh, said, “Recent events have left me speechless, but we must gather our strength and move forward.” Sharing her own life story, she spoke about overcoming numerous obstacles. Addressing as special guest, Maria Stridman, Head of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka, said, “Despite progress for women in Bangladesh, several challenges remain. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, Bangladesh ranks 99th out of 146 countries, leading in South Asia but still facing critical gaps in economic participation, wage equality, and leadership opportunities.” “We must work towards ensuring a gender equal society, in which women, girls, men and boys are equally valued and have equal rights,” she added. Stéphanie St-Laurent Brassard, second Secretary (Development-Gender Equality) at the High Commission of Canada in Bangladesh, said, “We truly believe in an equal society. We will definitely renew the efforts on women empowerment.” JCD warns of street protests if violence against women cannot be curbed  While addressing as chief guest, Keya Khan, Director General, Department of Women Affairs, government of Bangladesh, said, “We are always working on awareness programmes for women. There are adolescent clubs in 4553 unions and 330 municipalities. We hold weekly discussions with them and listen to their voices.” The event, organised marking International Women’s Day, was attended by media personnel, civil society representatives, representatives of marginalized communities, youth, and various other groups and communities.

The sudden political transition on August 5 last year has led to a surge in criminal activities across Bangladesh, raising significant concerns among people. Data from the Police Headquarters reveals a sharp increase in violent crimes, including murders, robberies, and kidnappings, during the four months following the regime change compared to the preceding four months. The period of unrest was marked by widespread protests, escalating into a student-led uprising towards the end of Sheikh Hasina’s tenure. In the aftermath, law enforcement agencies faced severe disruption, with 450 of the country’s 664 police stations attacked and several set ablaze. Many police officials, including senior officers, went into hiding, leaving citizens vulnerable. Troubling Crime Statistics From August 1 to November 30, 1,361 murders were reported nationwide, up from 1,158 recorded from April 1 to July 31. Robberies also rose, with 464 incidents compared to 416 in the previous four months. Similarly, dacoity cases doubled, climbing from 123 to 209. Kidnapping incidents surged from 168 to 255 during the same comparative periods. But the incidents of burglary and theft showed a notable decline. Local communities organised neighbourhood watches in response to the reduced police presence, resulting in 844 burglary cases and 2,424 thefts in the latter period, down from 909 and 3,068, respectively. Experts Cite Political Instability Experts attribute the rise in crime to the socio-political instability following the regime change. The weakened law enforcement apparatus, coupled with economic uncertainty, created an environment where criminals felt emboldened. Disruption in judicial processes further exacerbated the problem. Read: ‘No magic to crime control; police working’, says IGP “The breakdown of social order in the wake of political turmoil has made it easier for criminal elements to operate unchecked,” said a criminologist at Dhaka University. Law Enforcement Efforts In response, the interim government has initiated measures to stabilise the police force. Increased patrols, enhanced surveillance, and community policing efforts have been introduced, particularly in urban areas with higher crime rates. Investigations targeting organised crime syndicates involved in robberies, kidnappings, and dacoities have led to several key arrests. Read more: 26 arrested in Army's special anti-crime operation in Dhaka city “We are working tirelessly to restore public confidence in law enforcement,” said a senior official from the Police Headquarters. “Coordination with other agencies and improved intelligence gathering have been prioritised to address these challenges.” Public Concern Persists Despite these measures, public anxiety remains high. Community leaders and advocacy groups have called for urgent reforms to address the underlying causes of rising crime. Many citizens have urged the government to prioritise public safety in policy discussions, emphasising the need for long-term social and economic reforms alongside robust policing. Broader Implications According to retired police officials, the recent crime wave highlights the vulnerabilities that emerge during periods of political transition. While immediate steps are being taken to curb criminal activities, the broader challenges of socio-political instability and economic insecurity require sustained attention, they said. Read more: IGP calls for enhanced operations to fight crime and terrorism They stressed the need for a comprehensive approach blending law enforcement, judicial efficiency, and social reforms will be essential to restore stability and ensure the safety of all citizens.

Reiterating its steadfast support to the current interim government, Australia has sought Bangladesh's assistance in addressing irregular migrant issues, handling of people smuggling and trafficking in persons as well as transnational organised crimes. While appreciating Bangladesh's economic and social development, Australia expressed its keen interest in working more closely with Bangladesh on issues of mutual interests in the days to come. During the fifth senior officials’ talks at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia on Tuesday, Bangladesh recognized Australia's continued support in Bangladesh's development efforts since independence. Bangladesh has sought technical and expert support from Australia in its agriculture, education, energy, blue economy and ICT sectors. Bangladesh also urged Australia to play a more proactive role in pursuing the global community to put collective political pressure on Myanmar for an enduring solution to the Rohingya problem. Additional Foreign Secretary (Bilateral-East & West) Md Nazrul Islam and first Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asia Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia Sarah Storey led the delegations on respective sides. High-level government officials of relevant departments along with Mission officials of both countries were also present during the talks. The talks, held with a spirit of mutual understanding, covered a wide array of issues, including development partnership, sectoral cooperation, strategic and regional issues, migration issues, civil maritime cooperation, security and defense cooperation, and cooperation in multilateral fora. Climate change featured prominently in the talks, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to addressing global environmental challenges. Australia acknowledged Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate impacts and pledged continued support for Bangladesh’s climate adaptation and resilience efforts. Prof Yunus lauds BSC; it repays government Tk 475cr Regional and global issues of mutual interest, including Indo-Pacific outlook, counter-terrorism, and multilateral cooperation, were also on the agenda. The talks reflected the shared commitment to upholding peace, security, and prosperity in the region. The officials expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the bilateral relationship and identified areas for further collaboration. They reiterated their dedication to strengthening ties and working together to address shared challenges. Both sides underscored the importance of regular exchange of visits, including at the highest level, as well as regular contacts and interaction between leaders and officials, to take forward bilateral cooperation to a new level. The next round of senior officials’ talks will be held in Dhaka in 2025.  

Members of the Anti-Terrorism Unit arrested a convicted war criminal from the capital’s Khilgaon area on Tuesday night--eight days after he was sentenced in a case related to the 1971 war crimes. The 66-year-old convict Md Fakhruzzman is the son of late Abdul Wahed of Collegepara under Kotwali police station in Mymensingh. Tipped-off, the absconding convict was arrested from Dakkhin Goran area under Khilgaon police station around 10pm on Tuesday. On May 19, 2015, late freedom fighter Abur Rahman’s wife Rahima Khatun, a resident of Mymensingh district town, filed a case accusing Jatiya Party’s former lawmaker MA Hannan and his son Fakhruzzaman bringing allegations of genocide, looting, rape, torturing, torching and others at an Amali court there. Read more: 4 members of militant group ‘Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya' held in Chattogram After taking the case into cognisance, the court ordered the authorities concerned to send the case to the International Crimes Tribunal. As the tribunal issued a warrant for the former lawmaker Hannan and his son Rafique on October 10 of the same year, the duo was arrested from the capital’s Gulshan area while Fakruzzaman and others were absconding. The Investigating Officer of the case submitted the full-pledge chargsheets against the accused at the prosecution section of the tribunal on July 11, 2016. The court framed the charges against eight people including Fakhruzzaman on November 4, 2018. Meanwhile, Hannan and other two defendants died. The tribunal of three judges delivered the life term imprisonment to Fakhruzzman for killing sculptor Abdur Rashid on February 20 this year. After the arrest, the convict was handed over to the concerned Kotwali police station.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (September 12, 2022) stressed the need for enhanced cooperation among member countries of International Association of Police Academies (INTERPA) to fight tech-based crimes and ensure global peace, stability and development. “Enhanced technology, expertise, intelligence sharing and coordination among law enforcement agencies of all these countries will go a long way in curbing violent extremism and transnational tech-based crimes around the globe. There are commonalities that bring us closer, and we must create a synergy in favour of enhanced cooperation for furthering global peace, stability, and development,” she said. The premier said this while inaugurating the 11th Annual INTERPA Conference on Digitalization of Policing in a Dhaka hotel through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban. Read: PM Hasina: Bangladesh is committed to keeping global peace She hoped that this conference would afford all the member countries an opportunity to reach a general consensus to explore an innovative, viable, prompt and effective mode of communication and cooperation among INTERPA member countries. Noting that the theme of this conference – ‘Digitalization of Policing’ – is a time-befitting one, Sheikh Hasina said violent extremism and transnational organized crime pose an enormous threat to national and international security in this age of globalization. In recent years, new development in technology and communications has enabled such crime networks to carry on their anti-human schemes with increased mobility, she said. Read: Get technological knowledge for the 4th industrial revolution, PM asks the youth She said the destructive activities of the terrorists result in far-reaching destabilizing impact on the whole world. The PM said new challenges are also being originated in the form of cybercrime, money laundering, counterfeiting of currency, terrorist financing and other modern-day threats. “Thus, policing around the world has become extremely challenging these days. In this present context, no single nation can address these on its own,” she said. “To address all these menaces, there is no alternative to consolidating cooperation among the countries of the world,” she said, adding that this unique conference of INTERPA comprising professionals from member police training institutions across continents would open up new avenues for cooperation in the arena of state-of-the-art training, capacity enhancement and sharing the best practices. Read FM for change of mindset to achieve lasting global peace “Digitalization of policing can be a great way forward to fighting terrorism, violent extremism and other tech-based crimes,” she continued. In this context, she mentioned that Bangladesh Police has proven its capacity and resilience in successfully combating terrorism and violent extremism. Hasina said institutionalizing a demand-driven and outcome-based platform to curb violent extremism and tech-based transnational crimes can ensure global peace and stability. “We believe, the collective will and joint efforts by INTERPA members can make a marked difference in the security landscape of the globe,” she added. Read Bangladesh reaffirms commitment to global peace Turning to the development of Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said her government has achieved success in developing a happy and prosperous country in keeping with the aspiration of the people of Bangladesh. “We have earned desired progress in all social indices,” she said. “We have taken every measure to transform the country into a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by making information technology accessible to all, including the marginal people, through efficient, service-oriented and ICT-friendly services,” said Hasina. Citing that Bangladesh Police plays a significant role in the onward march of our progress and development, she said, “There have been substantive qualitative changes in Police, thanks to the developmental activities of our government. We will push forward this pace of development of police in days to come.” Read US lauds Bangladesh’s role in UN peacekeeping Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Senior Secretary of Public Security Division Md. Akhter Hossain, INTERPA President Prof Dr Yilmaz Colak also spoke at the opening session, presided over by Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Dr Benazir Ahmed. Rector of Police Staff College Bangladesh Khandker Golam Faruq delivered the welcome speech.

Mentioning that the government is dealing with crimes strongly, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday that the law enforcers should not be criticised in a way that may diminish their work spirit.

The number of criminal activities in the capital city has declined dramatically as most city dwellers are now staying indoors amid closure of most offices, shopping malls, shops and educational institutions after the government announced a general holiday to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus.   The government announced public holiday from March 29 to April 2 with the deployment of army personnel for limiting public gatherings and mass transports. Later, the holiday was extended to April 9.   A senior official of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said crimes, such as murder, rape, robbery, theft and other petty activities fell to its lowest point since independence.   DMP’s Deputy Commissioner (Media) Masudur Rahman told UNB that overall recorded crimes have decreased dramatically in the capital. “I think this is the first time since independence that crimes are this low,” he said.