TEEN gangs involved in various crimes, including robbery, murder, rape, and turf war have been emerging across the country for quite some time. With the emergence of such gangs, as many teenagers are being initiated into crimes at an early stage of life, it would be difficult to rehabilitate them. Criminologists blame the weakening role of the family, lack of moral lessons at home and in the school, absence of recreational activities – both social and cultural – social degradation, unlimited access to the Internet as well as the stagnant political situation for the growth of ‘youth-gang culture’ in the country.
Schools, colleges and universities have remained shut due to the countrywide strict lockdown. As a result, students don’t get enough chances to play in and outside the school playground and become involved in the fantasy of online bullying and different crimes. The recent surge in teen-gang violence has become a major concern for law enforcement authorities. Most of the gangs trade in and abuse drugs, while some have illegal firearms and locally made weapons to show-off their strengths. The gangs often engage in turf-war over trifling things. Over a dozen people have reportedly been killed in the last few months by juvenile suspects. Law enforcement agencies during this pandemic conducted a crackdown on such gangs when nearly 2000 teenagers were detained, though most of them were released later.
According to police and locals, at least 50 gangs are operating in Dhaka and adjacent districts and are involved in crimes ranging from mugging, stalking, snatching, extortion and even killing in conflicts with rivals. Sociologists have stressed the need for a social awareness movement and the family’s duty to give children adequate quality time, inculcate moral values, increase physical and recreational activities for them. They have also called for identifying and properly booking the gang members and proper correctional activities to get them out of the present situation.
