They openly commit murder, use social media campaigns and seek prayers on Facebook

Dak Bunglow Mor lies at the heart of Khulna city. The area remains busy for most of the day. It was in this very crowded spot that on 4 March this year, Masum Billah, former convener of the Rupsha upazila Sramik Dal, was shot and hacked to death. The killers left the scene without any obstructions.

In the first five months of the current year alone, around 50 widely reported incidents of open shootings, stabbings, and violent attacks have taken place in Khulna in this manner.

In the 22 months since the July mass uprising, more than 200 such incidents have been recorded in Khulna city and district. According to local sources and law enforcement officials, most of these killings are linked to arms and drug trafficking, extortion rackets, rivalries between criminal groups, and long-standing personal enmity.

The most recent murder occurred on 2 June in the Sachibunia School Bhita area under Labanchora police station in the city. Around noon, a young man named Kazi Rashidul Islam was called out of his home and hacked to death.

Although it is believed to be the result of a personal dispute, the accused is said to be a member of a notorious criminal group. He is also alleged to have shot members of the victim’s family two and a half months earlier.

In most criminal incidents in Khulna, the names of eight major criminal groups repeatedly emerge. These groups have become so audacious that they now carry out killings even in crowded public places. Locals say people no longer dare to resist or speak out against them. Residents allege that the inactivity and inefficiency of law enforcement agencies have allowed these groups to grow stronger.

Although law enforcement agencies maintain lists of criminals on paper and occasionally conduct operations, the ground reality is different. Police sometimes announce arrests and claim to have solved cases, but in most instances, the key masterminds behind the crimes are not caught. As a result, each murder lays the groundwork for the next.

A review of police statistics over the past five years shows a steady rise in murders in Khulna. According to Khulna Metropolitan Police data, 15 murders were recorded in 2021 in the metropolitan area.

The number rose to 19 in 2022, dropped slightly to 17 in 2023, then increased to 29 in 2024. In 2025, it climbed further to 34. In just the first five months of 2026, 16 murders have already been recorded.

Outside the metropolitan area, the pattern is similar. In Khulna district, there were 30 murder cases in 2021, 22 in 2022, 21 in 2023, 31 in 2024, and 49 in 2025. In the first five months of 2026 alone, 20 cases have been recorded.

Even after the formation of a BNP government through the 13th national parliamentary elections held on 12 February, the violence has not stopped. In Khulna city alone, four murders were recorded in February, four in March, two in April, and five in May.

In addition, there have been attempted murders. On 21 May, in Putimari Bazar of Batiaghata upazila, unidentified assailants opened fire inside the Ward no. 9 BNP office of Jolma Union. Two Jubo Dal activists were injured.

Describing the law and order situation in Khulna as “fragile,” Khulna city BNP president SM Shafiqul Alam (Mona) told Prothom Alo that people are not safe. “People are being openly killed. Anyone can be attacked at any time; shootings and extortion are taking place. These must be stopped immediately,” he said.

The BNP leader added that teenage gangs and drug syndicates have become active in Khulna. The issue has been repeatedly raised in law and order committee meetings, but the police have failed to bring the situation under control.

According to police headquarters data, among eight metropolitan police units in the country, Khulna Metropolitan recorded the lowest number of cases in March and April across 15 categories of crime—105 cases in March and 114 in April. However, local residents say this figure does not fully reflect the true scale of crime, as not all incidents are reported due to a prevailing atmosphere of fear.

When Prothom Alo visited the shoe store where Masum Billah was killed, two months after the incident on 13 May, three employees were present. At the mention of the murder, they fell silent. The shop manager, Dipankar Bahadur, initially said he “saw nothing,” even though CCTV footage shows the incident occurring right in front of him. When confronted with this, he briefly replied, “We are not allowed to talk about this.”

Prothom Alo spoke to the families of 11 victims killed in Khulna. They also said they are afraid to even talk about old cases.

Three months before the murder of Masum Billah, two men named Hasib Hawlader and Fazle Rabbi Rajon were shot and hacked to death in front of the main gate of the Khulna District Judge Court. They were attacked while leaving after attending court hearings.

Officials say these incidents at both the court premises and Dakbunglow Mor show that the administration has failed to ensure safety even in crowded public spaces, including judicial areas in Khulna.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Commissioner Mohammad Jahidul Hasan told Prothom Alo that most of the murders in the city appear to be linked to various criminal groups. “Action is being taken as soon as information is received about such incidents,” he said. He also noted that some of the victims had past associations with different criminal groups.

Responding to questions about why criminal groups openly display their identities on social media yet are not being arrested, the commissioner acknowledged some limitations in police capacity.

He also said there have been allegations that a section of police personnel leak information to and maintain contact with criminal gangs, although he claimed these allegations are not entirely accurate.

On 8 May, a group of criminals riding four motorcycles abducted a young man named Azizul Islam. He was taken from Sachibunia Bazar into the interior area of Rangemari. The location lies about 4.25 kilometres from Zero Point in Khulna city, at the junction of Batiaghata, Labanchora, and Harintana police station areas.

When visiting the area on 11 May, it became clear that a sense of fear still lingers among locals. Few are willing to speak openly. Three residents said they heard Azizul’s screams from a distance on the day of the incident.

According to them, he was heard pleading, “Brother, please don’t kill me. I have two children. I haven’t done anything wrong.” Within two to three minutes, he was hacked to death. Before leaving, the attackers fired two blank shots.

Azizul, originally from Khulna, lived in a rented house beside the Rupa petrol pump near Khulna Textile Institute. The house owner, Firoz Alam, said Azizul used to sell onions and garlic as a street vendor.

After the killing, his wife, Sima Akter, moved with their two children to her father’s house. Speaking from there later, she told Prothom Alo that Azizul had distanced himself from old associates and that his life revolved only around his business and home.

Azizul’s father-in-law, Sheikh Mukul Hossain, said they now live in insecurity. “Police did not even come to us after the incident,” he said.

According to police records, Azizul had seven cases against him, including charges of robbery and murder. Around 2017–18, he reportedly lost a leg during what is locally described as a “crossfire” incident.

However, people concerned say his past cases cannot justify his killing. Rather, the incident reflects how even those who try to leave criminal networks in Khulna remain vulnerable to revenge attacks.

A similar incident occurred on 4 May, when a wounded man named Raju Hawlader, 38, was being taken to Dhaka in an ambulance. He was shot again inside the ambulance at Kudir Bot Tola area in Rupsha.

Law enforcement sources say this incident also stemmed from rivalry between criminal groups. Raju also had multiple cases of murder and robbery, and there are four outstanding arrest warrants against him in Labanchora police station.

The reporter spoke with eight individuals previously involved with criminal groups or familiar with their activities, three current contacts, and various sources within law enforcement and the local community.

According to the information gathered, nine criminal groups are currently most frequently mentioned in Khulna city and district. These include: Rony Chowdhury alias Grenade Babu’s B-Company, Sheikh Palash’s Palash Group, Humayun Kabir’s Huma Bahini, Ashik Bahini, Nur Azim Group, Tenki Shawon Group, Arman Sheikh’s Arman Group, Shakil Sheikh’s Shakil Group, and Nasimul Gani’s Nasim Group.

In addition, smaller armed groups operate in areas such as Dighalia, Aranghata, Koyra, Paikgachha, and Dakop.

Some of these groups are involved in drug and arms trafficking. Others are linked to local dominance over land, shrimp farms, river ghats, transport routes, or contracting businesses. In the Daulatpur–Moheshwar Pasha area, there are also remnants of older extremist-left militant traditions carried forward by successors.

Local and security-related sources say Nur Azim Group is active in Tutpara, Mohirbari, and Taltola areas, while Ashik Bahini operates in Chanmari, Shipyard Road, and Sachibunia. Ashik’s rise reportedly began from a teenage gang background.

In addition, Shakil Group is active in Labanchora–Jinnahpara area, while Huma, Arman, and Nasimul Gani are prominent in Daulatpur, Moheshwar Pasha, Deyana, and Telighati areas.

Multiple sources familiar with Khulna’s criminal landscape say further alignments have taken place. For example, the Huma Group is now allegedly working in coordination with B-Company. Similarly, members of Ashik Bahini have reportedly aligned with Palash’s faction. In several recent incidents—including obstruction of contracting work—evidence suggests coordinated criminal activity between groups.

Criminal groups in Khulna appear to have found a relatively safe environment, even using social media for propaganda. Prothom Alo identified at least 13 Facebook pages and accounts linked to such groups. These pages are used to issue indirect threats, post messages against rivals, and publicly display dominance.

In some cases, posters bearing group names are displayed in key locations, followed by group gatherings and promotional posts. Such activity was also observed during the time of Eid-ul-Azha. Despite clear visibility of individuals involved, police are often seen as largely inactive in response.

In February this year, B-Company’s Facebook page announced that tolls for general passengers at no. 1 Custom Ghat in Khulna had been waived. Again, on 21 May, during nationwide protests against rape, the group posted that if any rapist is identified in Khulna with proper evidence, “B-Company’s court” would ensure the highest exemplary punishment.

Alongside criminal activities, B-Company also engages in so-called social initiatives. In April, the group distributed cold drinking water under banners at Shibbari intersection during the heatwave. The video was widely circulated on its Facebook pages.

Earlier, during Ramadan, it distributed iftar meals and Eid supplies, also promoting them on social media. Many of these posts carry the recurring phrase: “Dua mein yaad rakhna. (Keep me in your prayer)”

Under these posts, opposing pages also respond. One page named “Dadabhai er Haina” wrote that while drugs are given to youths, now they are being offered drinks in the name of charity. Rival propaganda is also spread in favour of Palash through similar pages.

Local residents believe these activities are strategies to assert presence. Those involved in killings also circulate images of social work. This, they say, confuses parts of the public and allows criminal groups to expand their influence.

Khulna City Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Mahfuzur Rahman told Prothom Alo that the deterioration of law and order in Khulna is driven by underground parties, rivalry among criminal groups, extortion, drug proliferation, and teenage gangs. The administration is not unaware of these issues, he said.

Where drug dens are set up, who is involved in extortion, and who controls the footpaths—these issues are being spoken about openly. Yet the godfathers cannot be brought under control. The most striking aspect is that criminals are now trying to conceal their crimes behind so-called social activities, distributing biryani packets and water as a cover for their operations.

Members of Khulna’s criminal underworld are also reportedly operating as hired killers in Dhaka, Gazipur, and Savar, according to law enforcement sources. In the murder of Rakibul Islam near the Central Shaheed Minar area in Dhaka this March, investigators from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) found that criminals from Khulna had been hired for the attack.

The then deputy commissioner of the DMP’s Ramna Division, Masud Alam, told Prothom Alo that on the day of the murder, an 8–10 member group arrived at the scene. “They are members of B-Company from Khulna,” he said. According to him, they are essentially hired criminals who carry out assaults or killings in exchange for money. He added that they had been involved in numerous similar incidents in the past.

Sources say the use of illegal firearms in Khulna has increased significantly. Weapons smuggled through border routes are now also being transported via Khulna to other parts of the country. In 2024, Khulna Metropolitan Police recovered 24 firearms, while in 2025 the number rose to 47. From January to April this year, KMP recovered 17 firearms. During the same period, district police recovered 14 firearms.

On 7 March, during a search operation by the Department of Narcotics Control at the Rupsha Bridge toll plaza area, two revolvers, three pistols, four magazines, and 96 bullets were recovered from a woman from Satkhira. Officials said she was transporting the weapons through Khulna en route to Dhaka.

According to police records, 181 individuals are currently listed as criminals under Khulna Metropolitan Police, a large portion of whom are believed to be armed.

Kudrat-e-Khuda, Khulna district secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), told Prothom Alo that police are aware of these criminals but rarely take preventive action. Police become active only after crimes occur, he said.

Law enforcement agencies in Khulna have repeatedly reported conducting operations and arresting suspects. However, according to sources, the main planners and protectors of crimes are rarely caught. Even when arrests are made, many suspects are released on bail and return to criminal activity. Victim families are often afraid to file cases, and in many instances, witnesses do not appear in court.

A major complaint from locals is that criminals often receive advance information about police operations. There are also allegations that informants within the police leak information to criminal groups.

Naziur Islam Manju, former president of Khulna City BNP and administrator of Khulna City Corporation, told Prothom Alo that the wave of killings that began after 5 August, 2024 is worse than even the era of extremist groups. “Criminals are openly carrying out murders, their faces are visible, yet in most cases they are not being arrested,” he said. “People’s lives have become unbearable.”

Shahidul Islam, who has worked since 1987 at the historic Rahmania Hotel in Dakbunglow Mor intersection, says he has witnessed many phases of Khulna’s history. He recalls that after the execution of Ershad Shikder, people felt some relief. But since 5 August, 2024, there is no sense of safety.

“Anyone can be shot or hacked to death at any time,” he said. “Khulna has become a city of fear.”

For many residents, the fear is not only of murder—it is the fear of silence itself. People know, but do not speak. They see, but do not testify. And in that silence, criminal networks continue to operate openly—seeking prayers on Facebook, running propaganda, and preparing for the next killing.