Crimes on rise: Sylhet residents face growing safety fears

Residents of Sylhet city are experiencing growing insecurity amid a surge in theft and robbery incidents over the past two months, with several cases occurring in broad daylight.

According to Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP), a total of 47 cases of theft and robbery were recorded in February and March this year. Reports of muggings at gunpoint, snatching of mobile phones, and attacks on pedestrians, including women, have heightened public concern.

“People are not only losing valuables but also facing physical assaults. There is widespread fear, especially in isolated areas,” said Renu Begum, a city resident, adding that such a condition was previously uncommon in Sylhet.

Emon Ahmed, a resident of Bagbari, said he now fears leaving home with his children even during the day. “The fear has intensified after several incidents went viral on social media,” he added.

Recent incidents

In March, a student was robbed in the Sagardighirpar area, while a woman was targeted by a gang of robbers in the Housing Estate area in February.

On 4 April, a college teacher, Alam Reza, was robbed at knifepoint while travelling with his young son in a CNG autorickshaw near Amberkhana Point. On the same day, journalist Raihan Uddin was assaulted and robbed in the Temukhi area.

Another incident on 31 March involved a youth being attacked and allegedly robbed near Taltola Point. Police, however, claimed the incident was linked to a prior dispute.

Video footage of some incidents, widely circulated on social media, shows robbers using motorcycles to intercept victims and snatch valuables, often threatening them with sharp weapons.

Syeda Shirin Akhter, president of Citizens’ platform Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN) in Sylhet and a leader of the Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association, urged authorities to increase police patrols and checkpoints across the city and expedite the arrest of listed criminals. She also advised citizens to remain cautious, particularly when using CNG autorickshaws alone.

SMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Md Manjurul Alam said police operations have been intensified. “Check-posts have been set up, patrol duties increased, and a list of identified robbers is being prepared. Drives are underway regularly,” he said.

Concerns have also been raised by civil society members. Advocate Emadullah Shahidul Islam Shaheen, former president of the Sylhet Bar Association, described the recent rise in daylight robberies as alarming and indicative of deteriorating law and order.

Meanwhile, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury assured that law enforcement agencies are on high alert, with intelligence surveillance being strengthened and a “zero tolerance” policy in place.

Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid spreading unverified information, warning of legal action against misinformation.

The rising crime trend has intensified concern among Sylhet residents, with many calling for more effective and visible policing to restore public confidence.