Following the dramatic political upheaval of August 2024 and the subsequent transition from the interim administration to the elected government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in early 2026, Bangladesh finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. While the restoration of parliamentary politics has brought a formal democratic structure back to the capital, the law and order situation across the nation remains deeply fragile and alarming. High crime rates, severe police demoralization, persistent mob vigilantism, violent political clashes, minority insecurity, and the concerning rise of extremist and jihadi forces continue to severely challenge state authority.

1. Rising Crime Rates and the Security Vacuum

Recent statistical reports presented in Bangladesh’s Jatiya Sangsad by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) paint a stark picture of public security during the government's first 100 days. During the two months of March–April 2026 alone, reported major crimes surged across both urban centers and rural areas:

• 605 Murders: Driven by localized land disputes, political feuds, organized crime, and factional violence. • 294 Muggings & 90 Robberies: Reflecting growing street-level lawlessness and persistent economic strain. • 196 Abductions: Highlighting the unchecked reactivation of criminal syndicates. • 2,214 Theft Cases: Pointing to widespread property crimes across major districts.

Furthermore, incidents of violence against women and children have reached critical levels. The inability of civil law enforcement to act as an effective deterrent has fostered a pervasive sense of insecurity among ordinary citizens. Recent reports from Human Rights Watch and the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh, strongly corroborate these alarming findings, warning of a dangerous dual crisis: the structural deterioration of the national economy alongside a collapsing law and order framework.

2. Morale of Law Enforcement and Continuous Army Deployment

The crisis in public safety is directly linked to an unprecedented breakdown in morale within the Bangladesh Police and paramilitary forces. Following the mass uprising of August 2024, law enforcement suffered structural damage and an enduring loss of public trust. • Indemnity and Fears Among Police & Ansar Forces: During the events of August 2024, a large number of Police and Ansar personnel were killed by miscreants. Subsequent indemnity laws promulgated under both the Yunus interim government and the current Tarique Rahman administration have granted legal immunity to perpetrators. The lack of legal recourse has sparked deep anxiety, insecurity, and demoralization across law enforcement ranks. • Attacks on Police Personnel: Demonstrating a stark lack of deterrence, 129 direct physical attacks on police officers were recorded in March–April 2026 alone. Officers routinely report hesitancy in enforcing the law for fear of mob retaliation, political purges, or selective legal prosecution.

• Continuous Army Deployment: To prevent total administrative breakdown, the executive branch has maintained executive magisterial powers for the Bangladesh Army. Military personnel remain deployed across major cities, highways, and sensitive industrial sectors (such as the readymade garment hubs in Ashulia and Gazipur). While military oversight prevents large-scale anarchy, security experts warn that over-relying on the armed forces for routine policing is an unsustainable strategy that risks overextending military capacity and delaying urgent civilian police reforms.

3. Political Violence, Mob Justice, and Extremism

Political polarization remains a volatile catalyst for widespread violence. According to data compiled by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), election-related political violence from October 2025 through February 2026 resulted in 10 deaths and 2,503 injuries, with clashes between rival political parties, local power brokers, and student factions frequently turning fatal. Simultaneously, vigilante violence and mob justice have become deeply entrenched. Taking advantage of weakened law enforcement, localized mobs and extremist groups have engaged in summary lynchings, extortion, land grabbing, and forced intimidation.

Human rights organizations documented 505 incidents targeting religious and ethnic minorities during the first four months of 2026 alone. These included arson attacks on temples, physical assaults, land seizures, and systematic intimidation against Hindu and indigenous communities, particularly in rural regions and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Additionally, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised serious concerns over judicial due process and human rights abuses under large-scale security operations like "Operation Devil Hunt," which resulted in the arbitrary arrest of over 8,600 individuals, widespread denial of bail, mass untargeted filings, and deaths in custody. 4. Regime Comparison: Hasina vs. Yunus vs. Tarique

Evaluating security governance across Bangladesh’s three recent administrative eras highlights how structural challenges have evolved—and in many cases, persisted:

Security Indicator Hasina Government (Pre-Aug 2024) Yunus Interim Govt (Aug 2024–Feb 2026) Tarique Rahman Govt (Feb 2026–Present) Primary Security Approach Centralized state control utilizing specialized security units (RAB, DB) to maintain stability. Official focus on reform commissions and constitutional dialogues; in practice, continued centralized state control with heavy overdependence on the Army, RAB, DB, and intelligence agencies. Elected party administration focused on political stabilization; in practice, continuation of centralized state control with ongoing overdependence on the Army, RAB, DB, and intelligence agencies. Police Force Morale & Standing Highly politicized; effective at following state directives and suppressing political opposition. Severely demoralized; widespread strikes, absenteeism, loss of public trust, and selective suppression of opposition. Slowly rebuilding; police still face defiance, low morale, attacks (129 recorded), and pressure from ruling party youth wings and radical elements. Military Role in Public Security Confined primarily to external defense, emergency disaster response, and counter-terrorism. Broad civil deployment; the military granted executive magisterial powers to maintain basic civic order. Sustained military deployment supporting civil administration across critical urban centers and industrial belts. Mob Vigilantism & Street Violence Strictly controlled by state security forces; zero tolerance for non-state street power. Unprecedented surge in vigilante acts, mob lynching, ideological intimidation, and visible religious extremism. Persistent mob violence and high crime rates (605 murders in 2 months); continuation of interim-era trends along with new violence and extortion by ruling party student/youth wings. Human Rights Concerns Enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and systemic political suppression. Mass legal cases against former regime officials, non-bailable judicial practices, state-mentored mob actions, custodial deaths, and minority insecurity. Continuation of interim regime practices: mass detentions (8,600 in Operation Devil Hunt), custodial deaths, non-bailable detentions, and minority insecurity. 5. Regional Vulnerabilities: Rohingya Camps and Border Security Compounding domestic political instability is the ongoing security crisis within the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. International humanitarian agencies report escalating gang warfare, armed extortion, forced recruitment by insurgent groups, gender-based violence, and human trafficking inside the camp networks. Severe international donor fatigue and reduced aid funding have worsened economic desperation, turning the refugee camps into a volatile hub for organized transnational crime and regional instability.

Bangladesh’s security environment in mid-2026 reflects a country striving for political recovery while burdened by deep institutional fractures. Long-term stability cannot be sustained through military policing or centralized control alone.

To break this cycle of insecurity, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s administration must take decisive action to build an inclusive political environment, rein in religious extremism and jihadi factions, strictly regulate its own party's youth and student wings, execute comprehensive police reforms, restore judicial independence, enforce zero tolerance against mob vigilantism, and guarantee full equal protection for religious and ethnic minority communities. Only through equal application of the rule of law and genuine social justice can Bangladesh restore public safety and build a sustainable democratic future.

Author: Ali Kabir, Management Specialist, Toronto, Canada