Jatrabari, one of Dhaka’s busiest gateways, has become a growing source of concern for commuters and residents as incidents of snatching and other street crimes continue to be reported in the area.
Thousands of people enter and leave the capital through Jatrabari every day, particularly passengers travelling from the southern and south-western parts of the country. The area encompasses major transport points, including Sayedabad bus terminal, as well as busy roads and junctions linking Dhaka with several important routes. Yet the same heavy flow of people and vehicles that makes Jatrabari a crucial transport hub can also provide opportunities for criminals to operate and escape quickly.
Recent visits to Jatrabari, Sayedabad and Dolaipar, along with conversations with residents, passengers and transport workers, have highlighted concerns over the prevalence of snatching. According to those spoken to, criminal activity is particularly noticeable during the early morning, evening and night-time hours.
One victim was physician Shamsunnahar Hena. On 3 February, after travelling from Rangamati to Dhaka, she got down at Jatrabari and took a rickshaw towards Sadarghat. Near the Jatrabari intersection, three men stopped the rickshaw and threatened both her and the driver with weapons. They took her mobile phone and luggage before fleeing. She filed a case at the police station the following day.
The risks are not limited to pedestrians or rickshaw passengers. People travelling in private vehicles can also become targets, particularly when traffic congestion leaves vehicles stationary for extended periods.
On 12 August, Raju Sheikh witnessed an incident on the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover in which a man attempted to remove parts from a vehicle while traffic was at a standstill. Passengers in the vehicle caught and assaulted him, but he subsequently followed their car. Part of the incident was recorded and later circulated on social media.
Cases reveal only part of the picture
According to Jatrabari police station records, 119 cases involving snatching and attempted snatching were filed between January 2025 and July 2026. During the same period, 1,151 people were arrested over allegations involving snatching, attempted snatching and attempted robbery.
However, police records alone may not capture the full extent of the problem. Not every victim reports an incident to law enforcement, meaning the number of registered cases cannot necessarily be treated as a complete measure of street crime in the area.
The consequences have also included fatalities. At least three people were reportedly killed in attacks by alleged snatchers during the period under review. They included Kawsar Howlader, autorickshaw driver Md Yousuf and clothing trader Ashish Joardar. Police said some of the victims were stabbed.
Several locations identified as high-risk
A 2025 study conducted by students of the Department of Criminology at the University of Dhaka identified Jatrabari intersection, Kazlarpar, parts of the Chattogram Highway, Dolaipar and Sayedabad bus terminal as comparatively crime-prone locations.
The study pointed to two factors that can make such places attractive to criminals: heavy pedestrian and vehicular movement, and the availability of escape routes. Early morning and evening were identified as periods when the risk of snatching was comparatively higher.
Passengers travelling on long-distance buses from Sayedabad are also routinely warned to remain cautious. Transport workers often advise passengers to keep bus windows closed because mobile phones, jewellery and other valuables can be snatched from outside.
One passenger said people had attempted several times to open the windows of their bus from outside while it was travelling through the Jatrabari area. On another occasion, the passenger reportedly saw a man snatch a mobile phone through the window of a bus ahead before escaping.
Police say operations are continuing
Jatrabari police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Raju said police were conducting regular operations to control snatching in the area. He claimed that the level of crime had declined compared with previous periods and said floating criminals arriving from different areas were often involved in such incidents.
Residents, however, say the problem has not disappeared despite arrests and police operations. There are also allegations that some suspects return to similar criminal activity after securing bail.
For a city that depends heavily on Jatrabari as a major entry and exit point, the security situation there has implications far beyond the neighbourhood itself. Every day, large numbers of passengers pass through the area on their way to Dhaka or towards other parts of the country.
The challenge, therefore, is not simply to respond to individual incidents after they occur. Residents and transport workers believe sustained policing, closer monitoring of vulnerable locations and more effective preventive measures are needed to make the capital’s busy gateway safer for passengers and local communities alike.
