Govt's decision to release top criminals proving costly

In August 2024, following the July uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina's government, the interim administration took power amid hopes of restoring order, combatting corruption, and ensuring justice.

However, in the process, the interim government has made a controversial and alarming decision to release notorious criminals, including Subrata Bain, Abbas Ali (Killer Abbas), Sanjidul Hassan Emon, and Imamul Hasan Helal (Pichchi Helal). These individuals, convicted for extortion, violence, and organised crime, are now free and wreaking havoc across the capital.

In a report published in The Daily Star on September 24, 2024, police officials explained that many of those released had completed their sentences, and others got out on bail. While this explanation conveys the process through which this happened, it fails to account for the risks of their release.

Despite assurances from police that the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against criminals and militants, citizens have seen a surge in crime. Were the risks properly evaluated? Were sufficient safeguards put in place to prevent these criminals from returning to their violent ways?

A recent Prothom Alo report, published on January 18, 2025, showed how criminals like Chanchal, Munna, and Emon have started taking control of different services in Elephant Road in the capital. They extort money from businesses by seizing control of internet connections, water supplies, and waste management. Those who try to resist them face brutality. For instance, on January 10, 2025, businessman Ehteshamul Haque was brutally stabbed by a group of 15-20 people, near the Multiplan Centre. That same night, the car of another businessman, Wahidul Hasan, was attacked and vandalised.

These incidents show that criminal gangs are regaining power in areas such as Moghbazar, New Market, and Tejgaon. The police, once able to arrest these criminals, are now forced to expend resources tracking them down again.

In addition, a report in The Daily Star from January 13, 2025, highlighted a surge in extortion across the capital. Freed criminals, like Emon, who was released on August 15, 2024, are boldly resuming their illegal activities, sometimes from abroad. Authorities recently revealed that he may have fled the country shortly after securing bail.

Figures like Subrata Bain, labelled a "top terror" in 2001, Abbas Ali and Imamul Hasan Helal have resurfaced in organised crime. Helal, a former Chhatra Dal leader arrested in 2000, was released on August 16, 2024, and is reportedly active again. His associates are allegedly intimidating businesses in Mohammadpur, and eyewitnesses have linked him to a fatal stabbing on September 20, 2024. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the promised surveillance.

Reports from both Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have quoted businesspeople in Dhaka who claim to have received extortion demands and threats of violence. Many have paid extortion fees to multiple groups but are too afraid to report the threats.

This raises critical questions: why were these dangerous individuals freed? What prompted the interim government to make such a reckless decision? Was it political reconciliation, short-sightedness in prioritising short-term gains over long-term stability, or simple ineptitude at a time of crisis?

While the government's motives remain unclear, the consequences are obvious—Dhaka is descending into further instability, and the people are suffering. The government can no longer hide behind vague justifications. It must take responsibility for this failure.

Immediate action is needed to restore order. The released criminals must be re-arrested and stronger monitoring must be strengthened. The justice system must be protected from political manipulation. If the government fails to act decisively, it risks losing all credibility. The people of Bangladesh demand not just safety—they demand accountability. Anything less is unacceptable.