A daring jewellery heist in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur neighbourhood has reignited concerns over worsening public security in one of the capital’s most crime-prone areas, where police say organised gangs and repeat offenders are operating with increasing confidence.
Police said burglars early Monday broke into New Rana Jewellers at Chandrima Bazar, escaping with 70 bhori of gold, 600 bhori of silver and Tk 4 lakh in cash, according to police and the shop owner.
The estimated value of the stolen gold was said to be Tk 1.54 crore, while the silver is valued at around Tk 21.6 lakh.
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The burglary comes amid a broader deterioration in law and order across Mohammadpur, a densely populated area that police have formally identified as a crime hotspot.
Local residents say fear has become a constant feature of daily life, driven by recurring incidents of mugging, robbery and violent assault.
The detective branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has identified at least 13 locations in Mohammadpur as high-risk ‘red zones’ for mugging, including Dhaka Udyan, Basila Bridge, Taj Mahal Road and Japan Garden City.
Once-busy commercial and residential areas, locals said, have increasingly been avoided after dark.
Police officials attribute much of the surge in crime to the growing influence of teenage gangs allegedly involved in mugging, drug trafficking and extortion.
Authorities estimate around 100 gang members are active in Mohammadpur alone.
The trend has become more visible since August 5 last year, with regular reports of gunfire, armed robberies and daylight attacks heightening public anxiety.
In one incident, four police officers were injured during an anti-drug operation in Rayer Bazar. In another, a video showing a machete attack in Dhaka Udyan circulated widely on social media.
Mohammadpur has also been the site of several high-profile crimes in recent months. On December 9, Laila Afroz and her 15-year-old daughter, Nafisa Nawal Binte Aziz, were found murdered at their home on Shahjahan Road.
Police later arrested a domestic worker who had joined the household only days earlier in connection with the killings.
In separate incidents, individuals posing as police officers allegedly entered homes in the Chandrima Housing area, assaulting residents and looting valuables. The military has also carried out operations against teenage gangs in Basila, arresting seven suspects and recovering sharp weapons.
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Police say regular drives are underway, noting the recent arrest of 11 members of organised criminal groups in Mohammadpur.
A senior officer at Mohammadpur police station, however, acknowledged that crime rates in the area remain higher than average, with theft and mugging continuing to pose significant challenges.
For local residents and business owners, the jewellery heist has become another symbol of a deeper security crisis—one that authorities admit will require sustained enforcement and community cooperation to contain, said a retired teacher preferring anonymity.
