Crime surge grips Bangladesh in 2025, women and children worst hit
Dhaka, Jan 8 : Bangladesh witnessed an alarming rise in crime rates in 2025, with women and children bearing the brunt of the violence, while incidents such as murder, banditry, and mob violence were also prominently recorded, local media reported on Thursday, citing police statistics.
According to analysts, the spike in crimes is the consequence of the law and order challenges, with normalcy yet to be restored since the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government assumed power following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government.
Citing police crime statistics, Bangladesh's Bengali daily Bonik Barta reported that a total of 1,81,737 cases, including rescue-related cases, were registered in 2025, some of which related to incidents from 2024.
The figures revealed that the highest number of cases involved violence against women and children.
Last year, police registered 21,936 cases of violence against women and children across Bangladesh, followed by 12,740 theft cases and 3,785 murder cases.
The incidents of banditry were also significant, with police records showing 1,935 banditry cases registered throughout the year.
Additionally, 702 robbery cases, 988 cases under the Speedy Trial Act, 66 rioting cases, 1,101 kidnapping cases, 601 cases of assault on police personnel and 81,738 other cases were recorded nationwide.
The murder of four-and-a-half-year-old Roja Mani in Bangladesh last year sparked widespread outrage. Her body was found in a garbage dump in Tejkunipara near Bijoy Sarani overpass on May 13 2025, a day after she went missing from the Tejgaon area of Dhaka.
The child's body reportedly bore marks of horrific torture, with police suspecting she was strangled to death after being subjected to brutal abuse.
Beyond the Roja Mani case, at least 1,000 cases of child abuse were recorded in the capital last year, while incidents were also reported from educational institutions and workplaces across the country.
Speaking to Bonik Barta Touhidul Haque, associate professor and criminologist at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, Dhaka University, said, "In 2025, we saw some horrific aspects in the crime statistics. Crime has increased due to the law and order situation not being completely normal. This has affected women and children."
"The law and order situation that collapsed after the country's political transformation has had the biggest impact on women and children. In addition, serious crimes committed during this time include target killings and mobocracy. To get out of this situation, we must ensure proper implementation of the law," he added.
Bangladesh has been gripped by escalating violence and a deteriorating law and order situation since the Yunus-led interim government assumed power.