We are shocked at the rise of gang culture among teenagers in capital Dhaka and elsewhere across the country under the patronage of local ruling party leaders. These gangs are involved in all kinds of criminal activities — from petty crimes to murder, stalking to rape, and mugging to drug abuse.
A news report of a national daily on Saturday said that in 17 years, these youngster gangs have killed 120 people while they murdered 34 in last two years. For these crimes, about 400 youths have been made accused. According to intelligence agency sources, 34 teenager gangs are now active in the capital while a recent RAB report said about 50 gangs are active. However, reliable sources said about 100 gangs are involved in various criminal activities in the capital, mostly in Mirpur and Uttara areas.
The report, quoting the law enforcing agencies, said that in the beginning of the New Year, a combing operation would be carried out in the country, particularly in the capital city, against the juvenile gangs. But the police have been asked to be vigilant against the teen gangs and handle the issue with caution. Police have also been asked to identify the gang members and keep them under constant watch.
As reported, in last August 30, Munna, a youth was murdered at Wari in the city following clashes between two groups of teenager gangs over establishing supremacy in the area. Again on last September 7, Jabbar, another youth was killed in Sabujbagh area because of senior-junior clashes. Locals alleged that members of these gangs are involved in drug trade, used to stalk and assault girls and notorious for extorting people and businesses.
However, criminologists fear that it will be difficult to rehabilitate the gangsters to normal life as they are involved in gang culture to dominate others and to get connected to power with the patronage of political leaders. So those leaders, who do power politics, abuse the adolescent gangs to dominate a community or an area by creating fear. They laid importance on necessary guidance from the family, neighbours, educational institutions, and above all the society.
It is really disturbing that our shortsighted leaders are attracting criminals into politics to make politics dangerous for good people. Honesty is no good for money making politics. Our thinking people must think how the young generation is destroyed by criminalised politics. Present politics criminalises our young ones. Desperate crimes are on the rise for political protection. Please change the politics not to make our nation led by dangerous criminals.
