Law enforcement agencies in Noakhali and Laxmipur have launched a sweeping crackdown on juvenile gangs, detaining 347 individuals during overnight operations spanning Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning. The coordinated drive forms part of an intensified campaign by law enforcement to curb juvenile delinquency and restore public order across Bangladesh’s southern region.
In Noakhali district, officers picked up 163 individuals from across eight police stations. Hatiya upazila recorded the highest number of detentions with 69 individuals taken into custody, followed by Begumganj with 37, and Sudharam Model Police Station with 28. Operations across other jurisdictions resulted in nine detentions in Senbagh, seven in Char Jabbar (Subarnachar), three in Companiganj, and five each in Sonaimuri and Kabirhat.
Following preliminary questioning, Noakhali police released 152 detainees into the custody of their parents after obtaining formal undertakings promising good conduct. The remaining 11 individuals were formally arrested under various existing criminal cases and presented before the court. Confirming the details, Noakhali Additional Superintendent of Police Ahmed Payer emphasised that maintaining a safe social environment requires both strict enforcement and community involvement, adding that awareness initiatives will run alongside regular police drives.
Simultaneously, police in neighbouring Laxmipur district apprehended 184 suspects during the overnight sweeps. After verification, 159 individuals were handed over to their guardians upon signing written bonds, whilst 25 were formally charged and sent to court. According to Laxmipur Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Hossain Mohammad Raihan Kazemi, these operations will continue unabated until youth-led criminal networks are completely dismantled.
This latest drive follows a similar high-profile operation in Laxmipur earlier in the week, where police detained 266 individuals on Sunday evening, ultimately releasing 215 under parental undertakings.
Juvenile gangs, locally referred to as “Kishore Gangs,” have drawn growing concern across urban and sub-urban areas of Bangladesh in recent years. Often involving adolescents and young adults, these groups engage in public nuisance, territorial rivalries, extortion, and violence. By combining targeted legal prosecutions for repeat offenders with parental accountability mechanisms for minor infractions, law enforcement aims to deter young people from committing serious crimes while providing an avenue for social rehabilitation.
