127 Youth Gangs Still Active in Dhaka

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has launched a renewed crackdown on juvenile gangs following a fresh surge in violent crime across the capital. According to police data and field reports, at least 127 youth gangs remain active in Dhaka, operating in neighbourhood-based clusters and engaging in extortion, robbery, drug trafficking and even murder.

Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) S M Nazrul Islam acknowledged that youth gang activity is a long-standing problem in the city. He confirmed that police stations have been instructed to intensify operations and carry out regular arrests. In a recent incident in Adabor, five gang members were detained over allegations of extortion and violent assault.

Rising Numbers Nationwide

Although there is no centralised government database exclusively tracking juvenile gangs, law enforcement sources indicate a sharp rise in organised youth crime over the past three years.

*Recent field assessments suggest most previously identified gangs remain active.

Officials warn that nearly every police station area in the capital now has multiple youth gangs. Controlling them has become increasingly challenging amid changing socio-political conditions.

Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam has instructed all metropolitan commissioners, range Deputy Inspectors General and district Superintendents to take strict measures against extortion, robbery and drug-related offences. The directive was issued during a nationwide virtual meeting from Police Headquarters, emphasising that public order must be preserved “at any cost”.

Adabor Factory Attack

The latest flashpoint occurred in Adabor, where a group of 10–12 armed youths allegedly attacked an embroidery factory after failing to secure an extortion payment ahead of Eid. Several workers were seriously injured with machetes. That night, around 150 factory owners and workers surrounded Adabor Police Station demanding justice.

Police identified the principal suspect as a local gang leader known as “Kala Russell”. Investigators believe the group had been monitoring the factory, anticipating wage distribution day. Authorities also confirmed that at least seven other youth gangs operate in the same locality.

Student Murder in Jatrabari

In a separate incident in Jatrabari, 15-year-old madrasa student Mahim Mia was fatally stabbed in an alley late at night. Preliminary investigations suggest the involvement of a local juvenile gang. Police operations are ongoing to apprehend those responsible.

Social Drivers of Youth Crime

Criminologists describe the phenomenon as a grave social crisis. Research suggests that approximately 69 per cent of juvenile offenders enter crime due to poverty. Other contributing factors include parental neglect, family conflict, drug addiction, exposure to pornography, radicalisation and exploitative political patronage. Observers note that some local political figures act as “elder brothers” to these gangs, offering protection in exchange for loyalty.

Surveillance Measures

In response to mounting pressure, plans are underway to install 550 CCTV cameras in Mohammadpur and Adabor to deter snatching, extortion and gang violence. Authorities insist that no individual—regardless of political affiliation—will be allowed to exploit traders or residents.

Despite ongoing raids and thousands of arrests over the past four years, experts caution that enforcement alone will not resolve the crisis. Sustainable solutions, they argue, must combine policing with social intervention, education reform and community engagement to prevent vulnerable adolescents from being drawn into organised crime.