TDS Desk:

Bangladesh’s law-and-order situation has not yet returned to normalcy after the mass uprising of August 5, 2024. Concerns over personal safety and the security of life and property remain widespread, with fears of physical assault, attacks on homes and institutions, and security of valuable assets continuing to weigh on the public mind. Despite a series of government initiatives — including operations dubbed Devil Hunt and Devil Hunt Phase-2 — a sense of reassurance has not returned, and public anxiety has not subsided. These findings have emerged from the final report of the Citizen Perception Survey (CPS) 2025, recently released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). According to the survey, 47.17 percent of respondents said they are worried about the safety of their life and property. In addition, 33.91 percent expressed fear of physical assault, while 41.74 percent reported concern over possible attacks on their homes or institutions.

The survey was conducted in February this year across 45,888 households in all 64 districts, with participation from 84,807 men and women aged 18 and above. Based on citizens’ experiences and perceptions, the survey assessed six broad areas: security, governance, quality of public services, corruption, access to justice, and inequality. While 84.81 percent of respondents said they feel safe moving freely within their own premises, many nonetheless remain anxious about physical violence, vandalism, and the security of valuable assets. The survey also found that women are more concerned than men, and that wealthier respondents report higher levels of anxiety than poorer groups.

Concerns among the public over the safety of their own valuable property appear particularly acute. Nearly half of the respondents (47.17 percent) said they are worried about theft or damage to assets. This concern is more pronounced in urban areas, where 50.56 percent reported anxiety, compared with 45.61 percent in rural areas. Based on divisions, residents of Dhaka division expressed the highest level of concern over property security (59.17 percent), followed by Barishal (54.21 percent), Mymensingh (46 percent), Rangpur (46 percent), Chattogram (43.61 percent), Rajshahi (around 41 percent), and Sylhet (37 percent). The lowest level of concern was recorded in Khulna (36.39 percent). Here too, women reported higher anxiety levels than men. Among income groups, 51 percent of the wealthy expressed concern, compared with 41.16 percent of the poor.

Speaking to journalists, Rashed-e-Mastahub, deputy director (Census Wing) of BBS and Project Director of the perception survey, said, “The survey was conducted in line with the expectations of the Cabinet. It reflects how people perceive security in the country. Around 86 percent feel safe within their own area, but the survey does not define the exact radius of that sense of safety. Respondents have expressed concerns and apprehensions. The survey was first conducted by the Law and Justice Division in 2018. Although it was supposed to be held every three years, it was not conducted in 2022. We have now resumed it.”

The survey shows that 33.91 percent of the population fears becoming victims of physical attacks. This concern is significantly higher in urban areas (41.28 percent) than in rural areas (30.50 percent). Among the eight divisions, Dhaka division again tops the list, with 49.68 percent expressing fear of physical assault. It is followed by Barishal (34.08 percent), Rangpur (32.23 percent), Chattogram (30.54 percent), Rajshahi (28.30 percent), Sylhet (25.21 percent), Khulna (24.69 percent), and Mymensingh (20.69 percent). Women (36.69 percent) were more likely than men (30.73 percent) to report fear of physical attacks.

Although nearly one and a half years have passed since the mass uprising, the interim government has failed to restore law and order. Experts attribute growing public insecurity to the government’s shortcomings from the outset and the absence of timely, effective measures.

Security analyst, retired Major General Fazle Elahi Akbar, said the government has been unsuccessful in improving the law-and-order situation, and that is why we are seeing this condition. He explained, “The government has now announced Devil Hunt Phase-2. If this operation succeeds, the election could be festive. If it follows the same path as before, we may not see a neutral and celebratory election. My expectation is that the government will make Devil Hunt Phase-2 a success.”

According to the survey, 41.74 percent of people are worried about attacks on homes and other establishments. In urban areas, around 44.55 percent of respondents expressed concern about the security of their homes and establishments, while the figure stands at 40.43 percent in rural areas. In the capital, Dhaka, nearly 53 percent of people fear vandalism of their homes and business premises. The level of concern is also high in Barishal (48.71 percent), followed by Rangpur (40.37 percent), Chattogram (37.87 percent), Rajshahi (36.75 percent), Mymensingh (36.73 percent), Sylhet (34.39 percent), and Khulna (32.77 percent). Overall, women (44.49 percent) were found to be more concerned than men (38.59 percent) about vandalism, attacks, and looting of homes and establishments.

Associate Professor and crime expert Dr. Md Tawohidul Haque of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research at the University of Dhaka said, “General people see how swiftly and firmly the police respond after a crime occurs. Public confidence largely depends on that. If effective action is not taken, fear grows among people. Proper enforcement of the law needs to be ensured by taking into account the current realities. Political considerations must not influence law enforcement. At the same time, the lax attitude of the police must be reduced, and they need to be more proactive. The police should be allowed to operate independently in making decisions. In some cases, we have seen that even after crimes occur, they are unable to take action.”

The BBS survey also found that, in terms of satisfaction with security arrangements, 84.81 percent of people feel safe moving freely within their immediate surroundings, while 92.54 percent feel their homes are safe at night. Only 27.24 percent of respondents felt they could express opinions on government actions related to security, while 21.99 percent believed political influence affects such matters. About 24.62 percent said they believe decision-making processes are inclusive. The survey further noted that bribery in accessing government services remains prevalent. About 31.67 percent of people reported having paid bribes to receive public services, with residents of Noakhali and Cumilla facing the highest incidence. Meanwhile, 47.12 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with government services.

However, Assistant Inspector General (Media and Public Relations) of Police Headquarters, AHM Shahadat Hossain, claimed that the overall law and order situation has improved compared to earlier. Speaking to journalists, he said, “In terms of capacity, the police remain as strong as before. We have around 200,000 police personnel, and their morale has largely been restored. We are now trying to provide services based entirely on professionalism. The challenge is that compliance with the law has declined, and this requires greater social awareness. The law and order situation has improved significantly since August 5. Violence tends to occur around elections in Bangladesh. Any violence now will be election-centric, which may create the perception that law and order is under strain. I hope this situation will stabilise.”