A series of robberies on waterways in Kishoreganj’s haor region has sparked widespread fear among residents, with attacks targeting a boat carrying an infant’s body, cattle and duck traders, and a tourist vessel within just a few days.
Although the administration has stepped up patrols on the waterways, many residents say they no longer feel safe. The district police have also advised people to avoid travelling by boat after dusk unless absolutely necessary, a decision that has drawn criticism from local elected representatives.
On the night of 7 July, masked robbers attacked a boat carrying the body of a 15-day-old infant near the Noagaon sluice gate in Sutarpara Haor under Karimganj upazila. At gunpoint, they looted mobile phones, a solar battery and cash from the passengers.
The following evening, around 6:15pm, three cattle traders were robbed while travelling by boat in the haor near Gopdighi Union Parishad in Mithamoin upazila. The victims claimed the robbers made off with around Tk550,000 in cash.
Later that evening, around 7:30pm, another gang attacked a boat carrying duck traders in the Bogadubi canal near the Barshikura-Sherpur bridge in Badla union of Itna upazila. The robbers looted Tk75,000 in cash, two mobile phones, cooking utensils and equipment used to operate the boat’s engine.
That same night, robbers struck again near Hasanpur Bridge on the Mithamoin-Karimganj border, targeting a tourist trawler carrying around 40 passengers. According to the victims, cash, mobile phones, gold jewellery and other valuables worth nearly Tk4 million were looted.
Residents living in fear
Jewel Mia, a resident of Chhilni village in Itna upazila, told TIMES of Bangladesh that suspected robbers are seen roaming the nearby wetlands almost every day. “We can see them moving around in broad daylight, but we are too afraid to do anything,” he said.
Former Gopdighi Union Parishad chairman Nurul Haque Bachchu said people no longer feel safe travelling after dark. “There was a time when we could travel at night without fear. Now we worry whether we can even reach our destination before sunset,” he said.
Habikul Islam, a boatman from Sutarpara village in Karimganj, said tourists from different parts of the country once spent nights in the haor, but now they leave before evening. “The robbers don’t even wait for darkness anymore. They attack in broad daylight,” he said.
Muezzin threatened after mosque announcement
In Chhilni village of Itna upazila, local muezzin Abdul Matin has allegedly been threatened after using the mosque’s loudspeaker to warn villagers about the presence of robbers.
Abdul Matin, who has served at Chhilni Jame Mosque for more than a decade, made the announcement at the request of villagers. Residents armed with sticks rushed to the scene, prompting the robbers to flee.
Later, the robbers allegedly sent a warning through a local fisherman, Farid Uddin, saying: “Wherever we find this mosque’s muezzin, he will face the consequences.
“I belong to this village. I only made the announcement to help people. If I have to face threats for doing my duty, where are we supposed to go?” Abdul Matin told TIMES.
Authorities step up measures
Police said special river patrols have been launched on the instructions of Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mizanur Rahman. Residents have also been advised to avoid travelling on waterways after 5:30pm unless absolutely necessary.
The police superintendent said three suspects involved in a robbery a month ago had already been arrested, while operations are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the two latest incidents.
Police also plan to establish three control rooms at Balikhola ferry ghat in Karimganj, Nikli embankment and the Itna-Mithamoin-Astagram all-weather road to strengthen security against river piracy.
At a district law and order committee meeting on Sunday, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam said law enforcement agencies must take stronger action to curb robberies in the haor region.
However, Fazlur Rahman, MP for Kishoreganj-4 (Itna-Astagram-Mithamoin), criticised the decision to discourage evening boat travel. “This is like cutting off the head to cure a headache,” he said.
He argued that haor residents often need to travel by boat late into the night for essential purposes and urged the authorities to reconsider the restriction.
