Bangladesh recorded 605 murders and 3,496 incidents of violence against women and children during March and April, according to a report released Sunday by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), which warned that the country’s law and order situation remains fragile despite the BNP-led government’s first 100 days in office.
The report also documented between 78 and 102 rape cases, including 30 to 36 gang rapes, while 49 to 71 children were victims of sexual violence. TIB further recorded between 69 and 80 incidents of mob violence that left 31 to 42 people dead and up to 125 injured, underscoring persistent concerns about public safety and the state’s ability to curb violent crime.
The findings were presented at a press conference in Dhaka, where the anti-corruption watchdog unveiled its report, titled “The First 100 Days of the Government Following the 13th National Parliamentary Election: Monitoring the Implementation of Commitments to Good Governance and Anti-Corruption.”
According to the report, the country also experienced 196 abductions, 294 snatching incidents, 90 robberies and 2,214 theft cases during the two-month period. The organization said the figures point to continuing weaknesses in law enforcement and governance despite a series of government initiatives aimed at improving security.
Presenting the findings, TIB Senior Research Fellow Md. Julkarnayeen said that although police activities had increased and authorities had undertaken several security measures, the overall law and order situation remained vulnerable. The report noted that nearly 40% of criminal activities in Dhaka involved juvenile gangs, highlighting concerns about organized youth crime and the effectiveness of preventive measures.
TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman described the government’s opening months as a mixture of promise and concern. While acknowledging several reform initiatives, he argued that continuing incidents of murder, robbery, theft, extortion, rape, violence against women and children, and mob violence have prevented meaningful improvements in governance.
“Not forming the Anti-Corruption Commission even after three months is unfortunate and embarrassing,” Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said during the press conference in Dhaka on Sunday, criticizing delays in reconstituting key accountability institutions.
The report said the government has yet to reconstitute several major oversight bodies, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the National Human Rights Commission and the Information Commission. TIB warned that prolonged delays risk weakening accountability mechanisms at a time when public expectations for reform remain high.
Beyond crime statistics, the watchdog alleged that political considerations continue to influence appointments and postings in public institutions, including government agencies, Bangladesh Bank, commercial banks, local government bodies and educational institutions, despite election pledges to strengthen merit-based governance.
The report also raised concerns about what it described as the growing influence of extremist religious groups and increasing attacks on shrines, minority communities and cultural institutions. It cited recent incidents involving Shah Ali Shrine in Dhaka and attacks targeting Sufi figures as signs of rising intolerance and threats to Bangladesh’s tradition of religious and cultural coexistence.
In the education sector, TIB criticized the removal of vice-chancellors from 19 universities before the completion of their terms and alleged that several subsequent appointments were influenced by political considerations rather than transparent procedures. The report also pointed to continuing unrest on university campuses linked to administrative disputes and student political rivalries.
The findings have already reverberated in parliament. Speaking under Rule 71 on a matter of urgent public importance during the National Parliament session on Monday, Independent MP Barrister Rumeen Farhana cited the TIB statistics and questioned the government’s performance on public security.
“These figures clearly show how fragile and alarming the law and order situation has become in just three months,” she told parliament while referring to the report’s findings on murders, abductions and violence against women and children.
Rumeen also criticized the absence of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed from the parliamentary session, arguing that law and order and the economy would ultimately determine public judgment of the government’s performance.
The TIB report comes amid continuing public debate over crime, mob violence and institutional reform in post-election Bangladesh. In a separate assessment published earlier this year, the organization noted that law and order had remained fragile for an extended period, with murders, robberies, thefts, kidnappings, rape and violence against women continuing to pose significant challenges despite repeated security operations.
Despite its criticism, TIB acknowledged several government initiatives, including campaigns against juvenile gangs, cybercrime, drug trafficking and organized crime, as well as efforts to reform administrative processes in higher education.
However, the organization concluded that sectoral reforms alone will not be sufficient unless accompanied by stronger accountability mechanisms, institutional independence and a clear anti-corruption roadmap. Without those measures, it warned, persistent governance deficits and public insecurity could undermine the government’s broader reform agenda and erode confidence in its ability to deliver on campaign promises.
