From January to June of this year, the number of murder cases across the country has steadily increased. While there were 294 murder cases filed in January, the number rose to 344 in June. In contrast, crimes such as robbery, dacoity, rape, and attacks on police showed fluctuations—rising and falling at different times over the same period.
This information comes from an analysis of crime statistics provided by the police headquarters, released on Monday by the Press Wing of the Chief Adviser’s Office. The Press Wing has compiled crime statistics from 2020 to June of this year.
According to the Press Wing, recent media reports have claimed a rise in crime this year, which has instilled fear and insecurity among citizens. However, the statistics do not fully support the claim that crime is increasing significantly in 2025. Instead, the data suggests that major crimes have remained relatively consistent over the past ten months.
A recent incident in Old Dhaka reignited debate over law and order. Businessman Lal Chand, also known as Sohag, was brutally beaten, hacked, and hit with bricks and stones to death over a dispute involving extortion.
This has drawn renewed criticism, not only of the country’s security situation but also of the role played by members of various political parties and law enforcement agencies. Against this backdrop, the Press Wing issued its statement regarding the national crime situation.
An analysis of the crime data provided by the Press Wing shows a clear upward trend in murder cases over the past six months. There were 294 cases in January, 300 in February, 316 in March, 338 in April, 341 in May, and 344 in June.
A review of murder statistics from 2020 to June 2025 also reflects this rising trend. In 2020, there were 3,539 murder cases filed across the country. In 2021, the number dropped to 3,214, then slightly to 3,126 in 2022, and further to 3,023 in 2023.
However, in 2024, alongside general incidents of murder, indiscriminate shootings during the student–citizen uprising significantly increased the total number of murder cases, reaching 4,114 that year. Additionally, several cases related to older murder incidents were filed in 2024, which police officials have stated is why some previously unreported murders were reflected in last year’s data.
Still, even in 2025, the trend of increasing murder cases continues. For instance, from 2020 to 2023, a total of 12,902 murder cases were filed over four years—an average of approximately 269 cases per month or 1,613 cases every six months. In contrast, from January to June this year alone, there have been 1,933 murder cases nationwide.
Trends in other crimes
According to the Press Wing, an analysis of the statistics shows that the country is not currently experiencing any major crime wave. In fact, the rate of some of the most serious crimes has either declined or remained stable. Only certain categories of crimes have increased. Citizens are advised to remain cautious, but they should also have confidence that law enforcement agencies are maintaining control of the situation. The overall stability of crime rates sends a reassuring message.
However, when analysing the data, distinct trends emerge in various crime categories. For instance, there were 71 robbery cases in January, which declined to 49 in June. A total of 367 robbery cases were filed in the first six months of this year. Although there was a declining trend in robbery cases towards June, the half-yearly total still surpasses annual figures from previous years. In comparison, there were 302 robbery cases in 2020, 308 in 2021, 406 in 2022, 319 in 2023, and 490 in 2024.
Similarly, the number of banditry cases fluctuated over the past six months. There were 171 cases in January and 151 in June. In total, 972 banditry cases were filed in the first half of this year. This number is comparable to full-year figures from previous years—978 in 2020; 971 in 2021; 1128 in 2022; 1227 in 2023; and 1,405 in 2024.
Rape, violence against women, and abduction
The statistics provided by the Press Wing also show fluctuations in cases related to rape, violence against women, and abduction. In January, there were 392 rape cases filed, which rose to 492 in June, indicating an upward trend over the six-month period. However, when examined annually, rape cases appear to be relatively stable. There were 6,555 rape cases in 2020; 6,341 in 2021; 6,032 in 2022; 5,191 in 2023; and 4,394 in 2024.
In the past six months, 6,144 cases of violence against women have been filed. Last year saw the lowest figure in five years, with 10,198 cases. The highest number was recorded in 2020, with 13,431 cases. From this perspective, violence against women seems to have somewhat stabilised.
Abduction cases have notably increased this year. In the first six months alone, 517 abduction cases have been filed—higher than the annual totals in some previous years. In 2020, there were 486 such cases, followed by 445 in 2021, 460 in 2022, 463 in 2023, and 642 in 2024. The number of abduction cases had already begun to rise in the latter part of last year.
There have also been fluctuations in crimes such as acid attacks, riots, child abuse, theft, drug seizures, smuggling, and cases filed under the Explosives Act and Arms Act.
The number of cases where police officers were attacked has not subsided either. In just the past six months, there have been 329 such cases. This six-month average is comparatively higher than in previous years: 449 cases in 2020, 608 in 2021, 601 in 2022, 607 in 2023, and 642 in 2024.
Statistics don’t capture the full picture, experts say
Crime analysts point out that the Police Headquarters typically prepares crime statistics based on reported cases. As a result, these figures may not fully reflect the actual law and order situation. If the police are reluctant to register cases, the statistics will underreport crime. Nevertheless, the data does provide a general overview of the country’s crime situation.
Touhidul Haque, Associate Professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, told Prothom Alo that statistics alone cannot capture the full reality.
He noted that incidents of murder, violence against women, and child abuse have become highly visible. Public fear and anxiety are growing, which signals a negative reality regarding the crime situation.
He emphasised that the government must consider whether people feel safe and take steps to ensure public security accordingly.