Police say TIB’s murder statistic does not indicate crime surge, reflects historical trend

Police Headquarters has said Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) claim that 605 murders occurred across the country in the first 100 days of the BNP-led government contains significant methodological limitations, arguing that while the figure itself is not disputed, its interpretation is flawed and does not indicate an abnormal rise in killings.

In a statement today (8 June), Police Headquarters said media reports citing TIB’s findings lacked proper context. According to police records, 605 murder cases were registered between March and April. Of these, 336 were linked to prior enmity, 146 to family disputes, 69 to property and financial conflicts, 19 to sudden assaults, nine to dominance-related clashes, five to love affairs and extramarital relations, six to robbery, 15 to riots, banditry, abduction and other causes, and three to political killings.

Police said the breakdown shows most murders stemmed from personal, family and economic disputes rather than political violence. It added that Bangladesh has recorded between 3,000 and 4,500 murder cases annually over the past decade. 

Based on the 100-day data, the projected annual figure of 3,630 cases falls within that historical range. The statement also noted that the murder rate of 0.34 per 100,000 people is not considered high by international standards.

It further said only 0.5% of the murders were politically motivated and criticised the lack of comparisons with previous governments. The police argued that increased case registration since August 2024 reflects improved transparency and documentation rather than a deterioration in law and order.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed also questioned TIB’s assessment, saying it was based on newspaper reports rather than verified investigations.

“TIB prepares its reports based on newspaper clippings. It does not conduct investigations. For the actual picture, one should rely on police and Home Ministry statistics,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.

The minister said he had not reviewed the report in detail and therefore could not comment on its specific figures. However, he said official data showed improvements in law and order compared with 2025, with reductions across several crime categories.

Salahuddin also said the government has made progress in making the police more citizen-oriented and reiterated its policy of rewarding good performance while taking disciplinary action against misconduct.

He acknowledged resource constraints faced by investigators and said the government would work to increase allocations for investigations, patrol duties and post-mortem examinations.

On police personnel absconding for more than 60 days, he said departmental proceedings were underway, and action would be taken based on their outcomes.