Khulna under reign of terror
Khulna metropolitan city is increasingly turning into a safe haven for criminals. A series of organised criminal groups have become active across different areas, involving killings, shootings, stabbings, land grabbing, extortion, and drug trafficking.
Fear and insecurity among ordinary citizens are rising due to the dominance of 181 listed criminals.
Among them, the highest concentration 45 individuals is in the Lobonchora Police Station area, where organized crimes related to land grabbing, extortion, and territorial dominance have long been reported.
In response to the deteriorating law and order situation, the Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) has finally stepped up.
A joint special operation has been launched to bring listed criminals, drug dealers, and extortionists under the law.
According to intelligence information from KMP’s Detective Branch, a finalized list has been prepared containing 181 criminals, 584 drug dealers, and 69 extortionists across eight police stations in the metropolitan area.
Lobonchora has the highest number of criminals (45), followed by Khalishpur (36) and Daulatpur (31). Other areas include Sadar (27), Sonadanga (20), Aranghata (15), Horintana (4), and Khan Jahan Ali (2).
Anonymous sources related to the matter say that after the political shift on August 5, 2024, both old and new criminal groups became active across the city.
In particular, clashes have frequently occurred in Lobonchora, Khalishpur, Daulatpur, and Sonadanga over territorial dominance, land grabbing, control of contracting work, drug trade, and extortion. Locally formed juvenile gangs are also allegedly operating under larger criminal networks.
According to police intelligence, there are reportedly two trained shooters in each of the 302 slums in the metropolitan area. Additionally, each of these slums is said to have an average of four female drug dealers, who are considered highly dangerous.
Multiple intelligence sources indicate that six major criminal groups are currently active in Khulna, engaging in almost nightly clashes over dominance. These groups are believed to have formed around drug syndicate operations. The groups include Grenade Babu’s B-Company, extremist Huma Bahini, Ashik Bahini, Palash Bahini, Nur Azim Bahini, and Arman Bahini of the Daulatpur area.
Although Nur Azim and Arman are currently in prison, they are allegedly controlling their networks from inside jail.
Sources also say that at least fifty people have been killed in recent months due to conflicts over drug trafficking control. The drug trade, worth hundreds of crores of taka monthly, and struggles for territorial influence have turned Khulna into a zone of violent clashes. These groups are reportedly armed with advanced illegal firearms, creating widespread fear across the region.
Police statistics show that in the last five months of 2024, 11 murders occurred in the metropolitan area. In 2025, the number rose to 37. As of June 3 this year, 17 more people have been killed. In total, 65 murders have taken place in the last one and a half years in Khulna city. During the same period, more than a hundred incidents of shooting and stabbing have been reported.
Law enforcement officials say that many listed criminals roam freely and have not faced effective action for a long time, allowing them to become even more reckless. Reports of public displays of weapons, attacks on rivals, extortion from businesses, and land grabbing are frequent across the city.
In this context, a special crime meeting was held at KMP headquarters on Wednesday, chaired by Police Commissioner Mohammad Jahidul Hasan, where the decision was taken to launch coordinated operations across the city. A zero-tolerance approach against criminals, drug dealers, and extortionists was also discussed.
As part of the operation, police arrested three accused in the Rashed murder case Montu Howladar, Musa Gazi, and Miraj from the Lobonchora area during an operation that began Tuesday night. Additionally, Detective Police detained four more criminals, including Rabis, an associate of Grenade Babu.
KMP Commissioner Mohammad Jahidul Hasan stated that special operations have begun to stabilize the law and order situation in Khulna city. He added that operations against criminals, drug dealers, and extortionists will continue and that no offender will be spared.
However, concerns remain alongside the police action. Many arrested criminals are released on bail and return to criminal activities.
On November 30 last year, two gang members were shot and stabbed to death in front of a court in Khulna. Two days before that double murder, two leaders of an extremist group Nasimul Gani (alias Nasim) and Arman Sheikh had been released from prison.
Nasimul Gani, a convicted accused in the murder case of top criminal Tiger Khokon from Daulatpur, had been relatively inactive while in prison. Arman also secured bail from the High Court and went into hiding after release. Since then, fear has increased in the Khulna region.
Nasimul Gani is a convicted accused in the high-profile Tiger Khokon murder case. While he was in jail, his group’s activities were somewhat reduced. After receiving bail from the High Court on November 28 last year, both Nasimul Gani and Arman Sheikh were released from Khulna jail.
Following their release, six criminal groups reportedly became active again in the region. Authorities have not yet been able to arrest the top leaders of these groups. Only lower-level criminals have been detained with weapons, and many of them are quickly released on bail, further increasing public concern.
Advocate Babul Howladar, Member Secretary of Khulna Citizens’ Society, said that without continuous operations against the 181 listed criminals and identification of their political and social supporters, controlling crime in Khulna city will be extremely difficult. He added that it remains to be seen whether the police initiative will be a temporary measure or a long-term solution that can free citizens from ongoing fear and criminal dominance.
