I sat at my writing desk today intending to write about geopolitics, power equations, and the complex dynamics of international relations. But suddenly, an agonizing, heart-wrenching cry rendered all my thoughts completely paralyzed. All intricate political analyses feel utterly meaningless today, because today I am compelled to tell the story of that little girl from Comilla—a child whose desperate plea for survival vanished into the silence of the deep night, leaving her last message to her father tragically unanswered.

"Father, they will kill me, please save me"

Jannatut Tazmin, a seventh-grade student. At an age when her colorful dreams were supposed to take flight, she had to bid farewell to life in the most excruciatingly brutal manner.

In her final moments, the young girl desperately wanted to live. She ran with all her strength through the muddy paddy fields. With trembling hands on her mobile screen, she sent her live location to her father alongside a pathetic, heart-rending plea—"Father, they will kill me, please come and rescue me..."

Tragically, by the time her father woke up in the early morning and saw the message, everything was over. The lifeless body of seventh-grader Jannat lay amidst the muddy fields. It is suspected that a CNG driver or some savagely minded miscreants strangled her to death using a towel (gamcha). Allegations of brutal physical assault have also surfaced.

After remaining missing for four long days, when the silent corpse of an innocent child floated up in a field in Comilla—is this the blood-soaked Bangladesh we ever envisioned? Is Crime Merely a Game of Statistics?

We often attempt to comfort ourselves using statistical figures. There is no country on Earth where crime does not occur. Looking at the World Population Review 2025 Index, many might be surprised—the country with the highest level of organized crime in the world is Myanmar!

Even nations like Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia rank significantly higher on this list. Malaysia stands at 34th, Saudi Arabia at 42nd, Spain at 48th, and Germany at 74th—while Bangladesh occupies the 75th spot. According to this index, the higher the position, the greater the crime rate. In other words, raw data suggests that Bangladesh is more crime-free than many developed nations!

However, behind these paper calculations lies a vastly different reality.

Are We Safe in Our Daily Lives?

While we may rank lower in organized crime, how safe are we as ordinary citizens in our day-to-day lives? One only needs to look at the 2026 Numbeo Crime Index to be utterly shocked. In terms of safety in daily life, Bangladesh ranks 26th among 148 countries! Here, the lower a country ranks on the index, the safer it is. Saudi Arabia stands at 135th, Spain at 97th, Germany at 95th, and Malaysia at 61st.

This means that in the everyday routine of ordinary citizens, Bangladesh is a high-risk zone for crime. Regardless of what international statistics on drug trafficking or mafia networks say, our mothers and sisters enjoy no real security when stepping out onto the streets of Bangladesh. I firmly believe that if citizens could report every single incident to the police truthfully, our position on this list would easily be in the top one or two.

While there may be widespread debates regarding government or power dynamics in Saudi Arabia, their ruling elite has at least ensured the rule of law on the streets. If anyone breaks the law or harms an ordinary citizen there, punishment is swift and certain. Consequently, daily life remains secure in countries like Saudi Arabia or Estonia in Europe.

Take the small European country of Estonia, for instance (ranking 134th on the Crime Index), where crime is virtually non-existent. One can stroll down the streets at midnight holding a mug of coffee without a worry, or go to sleep leaving the front door unlocked. Sixth and seventh-grade children there enjoy an environment safe enough to go camping or travel abroad alone. But can we do that? Can we sleep peacefully for even a single night? When a loved one steps out of the house, doesn't our heart pound with dread, wondering if they will ever return alive?

The Vacuum of Justice and Our Absolute Failure

Why do thousands of innocent lives like Jannat's keep getting extinguished again and again? Why does this horrific brutality show no sign of stopping?

The answer, bitter as it may be, is painfully clear: there is no visible justice for crime in our country. Here, the rulers and the societal elites are solely engrossed in serving their own interests—plundering national wealth to build luxury safe-havens like Begum Para abroad. The lives of ordinary citizens hold negligible value to this system. There are no stringent laws, no proper enforcement of existing legislation, and no precedent of timely justice. Suffering marks every single step here; simply surviving each day feels like nothing short of a miracle.

A Final Question Left Behind...

Now the question remains—how much more of Jannat's blood must be spilled before our numb conscience wakes up? How many agonizing final cries must fade unnoticed into the void before we snap out of our indifference? In a country where an innocent child cannot be saved even after sending her live location, for how long can we parade statistical data to claim ourselves as a civilized society?

By Dr. Abul Hasnat Milton, Journalist, Political Analyst & Chief Editor, The Source News Bangla