Staff Reporter :
In the wake of escalating violence across Bangladesh, including the capital city, many residents endured a restless night, gathering in groups to patrol their streets amid mounting fears of robbery and looting.
This anxiety comes as the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, prepares to take office on Thursday.
The panic surrounding potential robberies has intensified in areas such as Dhanmondi, Shankar, and Mirpur. Since Tuesday, apprehension about criminal activity has spread rapidly throughout the country.
City dwellers have been keeping vigilant night watches in various neighbourhoods to thwart potential thefts. Many residents have called for an immediate increase in police activity to address the escalating concerns.
Reports indicate that robbery attempts have been reported in numerous areas, including Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Shankar, Bachila, Kalshi, ECB Chattar, Uttara, Badda, and Dhanmondi. In response, local students have also taken to night vigils, driven by fears of looting.
In an effort to heighten awareness and security, mosques are broadcasting warning messages through their loudspeakers, and social media platforms such as Facebook are abuzz with posts and live streams pleading for increased safety measures.
Residents in neighbourhoods like Uttara Contd on page-2 Col-
and Mohammadpur have organised neighbourhood watch groups to keep a watchful eye.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the army has detained several individuals in different parts of the capital, including near ECB Chattar by the cantonment.
Nazvi Islam, a faculty member at Dhaka University and resident of Bosila
in Mohammadpur, recounted that robbers had instilled fear in the area the previous night. “Mosques have been issuing regular alerts to keep everyone on high alert,” he said.
On Wednesday night, numerous local residents banded together, armed with sticks and bats, to patrol their streets. Hundreds of students from a local madrasa also joined the effort, maintaining their watch throughout the night before returning home at dawn.
Zakirul Islam, a resident of the Mohammadpur bus stand area, remarked, “Guards were stationed at the gates to the housing area on Wednesday night, yet residents remained unable to sleep due to persistent fear.”
Abir Hossain, who lives in Mirpur-14-a neighbourhood known for its many government officials-described the panic that ensued when news circulated that robbers had breached their housing complex. The previous government had allocated housing to freedom fighters and individuals wounded in the Aug 21 grenade attack in a nearby building. When reports emerged that this building had been assaulted, it heightened the anxiety among local residents.
Actress Rukaiya Jahan Chamak took to her Facebook account around 3am, livestreaming a desperate plea for assistance. She reported, “Robbers were attacking Priyanka Runway City in Uttara.” She further noted that residents of the building had assembled outside, brandishing machetes, butcher knives, and sticks to fend off the intruders.
“We made numerous attempts to contact the army, but initially, we were unsuccessful,” she continued, “Eventually, we were able to request an army patrol team to come to the area.”
Numerous Facebook users posted or livestreamed videos depicting robbers assaulting a building in the ECB Chattar area, adjacent to the Mirpur cantonment.
The footage captured the sounds of distress and the blaring of army patrol sirens. Although there were reports of the army detaining several individuals in the area, these could not be independently confirmed.