Over 50 criminal gangs active under various names in 4 thanas of Dhaka

Criminal gangs have sprouted up in four thanas of the capital's western zones - Adabor, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, and Hazaribagh. The criminal groups are active in these densely populated areas, involved in various offences including drug trafficking, mugging, robbery and extortion. These gangs openly brandish weapons and engage in various criminal activities. They have also become embroiled in deadly clashes over territorial control and dominance in the area.

Recently two separate murder incidents in Hazaribagh brought attention to the criminal groups operating in this region. On-the-spot investigations have revealed that at least 50 such gangs are active in Adabor, Mohammadpur, and Hazaribagh. In the 10 months following 5 August, at least 11 people have been killed by these criminal groups.

According to information provided by the police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), since 5 August, at least 1,500 persons involved in drug dealing, theft, mugging, robbery, extortion and murder have been arrested from these four thanas. Of these, 1,056 were arrested by RAB. The majority of them are aged between 15 and 22 years old.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, a police official said that even though members of criminal gangs have been brought under the law at various times, they soon get out on bail and return to crime. Some of these gangs are being patronised by top criminals and some are being sheltered by local leaders of political parties. They even resort to murder in their drive to gain dominance in their localities.

On 20 September 20 last year, clashes broke out between two criminal gangs - 'Alex Emon' and ‘Dailla’- in the Sadek Khan kitchen market area of Rayer Bazar in Mohammadpur, over control and territorial dominance. During the clashes, two young men named Nasir Biswas and Munna, members of the Dailla group, were killed. Both gangs are involved in theft, mugging, drug dealing, extortion and various other crimes. The Alex Emon group is reportedly backed by top criminal Imamul Hasan Helal, alias Picchi Helal, who has also been named in the double murder case.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Nasir Biswas’ elder brother, Suman Biswas said that his brother was a mason by profession and not a member of any criminal gang. He claimed Nasir was killed after getting caught in crossfire between the two groups. But local sources and the police say Nasir had multiple criminal cases against him, including ones related to narcotics.

Meanwhile, in March and April this year, there was a shootout at the home of real estate developer Monir Ahmed on Sher Shah Suri Road in Mohammadpur. The incident revealed a feud between two top criminals. Monir Ahmed told Prothom Alo that he was a director of Chandrima Real Estate. A local gangster had demanded extortion money from him, which led to the shooting. Since then, he said, he is scared to leave his house.

An officer investing the incident said that this was the result of enmity between to top criminals. The businessman was known to be a close associate of one of the top criminals.

Among the four crime-prone thanas in the western zone of Dhaka, Adabor and Mohammadpur fall under the Tejgaon division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). Deputy Commissioner (DC) of this division, Ibne Mizan, told Prothom Alo that police operations have significantly curtailed criminal activities in the area. Although incidents like mugging and robbery have decreased substantially, isolated incidents still occur.

On 15 May, in the early hours of the night, seven members of a family in Jafrabad, Hazaribagh, were attacked with sharp weapons by members of a gang known as the Patali group.

This correspondent recently spoke to the victim family near the Ityadi intersection in Jafrabad. Upon entering the house, the homeowner Abul Kashem was found seated, his left arm completely covered in bandages. When asked about the incident, he broke down in tears. He recounted that around midnight, three individuals were peered into the house. When questioned, they attacked and injured seven members of the family before fleeing.

The police launched a drive after this incident and arrested 44 persons. Over 20 of them were of the Patali group, police said. The second man of Patali group, Shahin, was arrested in the drive. However, the head of Patali group, Alamgir alias Forma Alamgir, is still at large.

A police official said the exact number of Patali Group members is unknown, but it is estimated to be no less than 70. The gang members are “floating” criminals with no permanent address. They are involved in theft, mugging, robbery, extortion and also operate as hired goons. After committing crimes in one area, they move on to another.

The Gabtoli-Sadarghat embankment road runs along the border of the four crime-prone thanas in western Dhaka. The Buriganga River flows alongside this area, which is home to many low-income residents. Criminal gangs are particularly active in areas adjacent to the embankment, such as Chand Udyan, Dhaka Udyan, Chan Mia Housing, Bosila, Jafrabad, Rayer Bazar and Ganaktuli.

The criminal groups have the most bizarre names. For example, there are gangs called Teenage Tornado, Patali Group, Lao Thela Group, Kabji Kata Group, Dark Strikers, Red Volcano, Dailla Group, Alex Emon Group, Level High Group, Chan Group, Mawra Group, Bhaiba Lo, Lara De, Memory Group, etc. The criminals groups make up their own names and post these on Facebook.

Assistant commissioner of the police's Mohammedpur zone, AKM Mehdi Hasan, told Prothom Alo, many floating criminals live in the Mohammedpur zone. They are attached to various games and commit all sorts of crime.

Photographer Nurul Islam was killed on 15 May evening at Jafarabad in Hazaribagh by a teen gang. He had been called on the pretext to take wedding photographs, but was hacked to death by 10 or 12 members of a teen gang. They snatched away to costly cameras from Nurul Islam.

Nurul Islam's elder brother Osman Ghani said, Nurul Islam had no enmity with anyone. They called him and killed him simply to steal his camera.
Half an hour before Nurul was killed, an under-grad student Samiur Rahman was killed by a criminal group over drugs at the Jigatola bus stand in Hazaribagh.

Assistant commissioner of the police's Dhanmondi zone, Shah Mustafa Tariquzzaman, told Prothom Alo, several criminals gangs were active in this area after 5 August. The police have managed to bring the situation much under control. Now some floating criminals sometimes pop up on the peripheries of Hazaribagh and Dhanmondi.

Investigations on the spot in Adabor, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi and Hazaribagh reveal that criminal gangs became increasingly reckless after law enforcement activities declined following 5 August. Over the past 10 months, 11 people have been killed by various gangs in these areas. Of these, seven murders took place in Mohammadpur alone.      

Among the most notorious criminal gangs in the Mohammadpur area, the Kobji Kata group has drawn significant attention. According to local sources, members of this gang used to slash victims’ wrists, film the acts, and share the videos on social media. Police have reported that the group also included contract killers. On the night of 1 September last year, Bilal Gazi, an employee of a real estate company, was hacked to death. Police stated that this murder was carried out by the gang as a hired killing. In February of this year, the leader of the Kobji Kata group, Anwar Hossain, was arrested by RAB.

On 27 May, in an army operation in Mohammadpur, a criminal Farid Ahmed Babu alias Excel Babu was arrested. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR), Excel Babu has over 15 criminal cases against him in various police stations of Dhaka, including charges of murder, possession of illegal arms, abduction, extortion and land grabbing. He reportedly led at least four criminal gangs, including Teenage Tornado and the Kobji Kata groups. He is also known as the godfather of Anwar Hossain alias Kobji Kata Anwar, the leader of the Kobji Kata gang.

Meanwhile, in September and October, four people were killed in Mohammadpur’s Geneva camp due to internal conflicts among criminal gangs over drug trafficking. Wasi Ahmed, general secretary of the Mujahir Welfare Association, told Prothom Alo that drug dealing continues unabated in the Geneva Camp. Despite informing the law enforcement and other relevant authorities, the situation remains unchanged.

Banker ASM. Niaz Morshed, a long-time resident of Mohammadpur, told Prothom Alo that Mohammadpur and surrounding areas have been crime-prone for a long time. However, the situation worsened drastically since 5 August. He said law enforcement agencies must take a tougher stance to control crime in the region and ensure exemplary punishment for those involved.