At Least 150 Active Teen Gangs in Dhaka Alone, Study Lists Eight Drivers of Their Spread

Brigadier General S M Anwar Hossain has researched the spread of teen gang culture, the reasons behind it and ways out of it. He is currently serving as Director (Engineers) at the Engineer Directorate of Army Headquarters.

His research report on teen gangs was published in the journal of the National Defence College (NDC). It analysed economic, family, social, cultural and other reasons behind teenagers becoming involved in gangs.

Citing law enforcement figures, the research said there are at least 150 active teen gangs in Dhaka city alone, whose members are aged between 14 and 18.

The study examined information collected from 80 convicted or identified juvenile offenders and 10 experts, analysed through Likert scale means. The main reasons for the spread were identified under four categories — economic, family, social and cultural.

The reasons include family discord and lack of cooperation; poverty and unemployment; bad company, peer pressure and a tendency to dominate an area; and becoming familiar with drug use, weapons, snatching and violent behaviour.

Other reasons are crime being shown as glory on social media; teenagers being used for political interests and weakness in law enforcement; the influence of local 'big brothers' or musclemen; and the lack of adequate opportunities for sports, cultural activities and healthy recreation.

The researcher highlighted unemployment and the easy availability of drugs as major drivers. Citing sociologist Robert K. Merton's 'Strain Theory', he said that when people cannot find opportunities to succeed through legitimate means, some may become involved in illegal or criminal activity.

Citing as an example the recent killing in Cumilla of a seventh-grade student by his own older companions in a dispute over snatching an iPhone and a few thousand taka, the researcher said it would not be right to blame anyone individually without considering the full information and investigation findings. But expensive phones, not keeping track of friends and excessive pocket money can increase the risk, he said.

In his view, handing a seventh-grader an iPhone worth a lakh taka beyond his age and need makes him an easy 'target' for criminal circles, while unaccounted money and luxury goods create show-off and arrogance that breed envy and disputes among friends.

The research said that in the senior-junior equation, teenagers become loyal to big brothers, but in a conflict of interests those same big brothers do not hesitate to kill younger teenagers. It also said excessive pocket money increases opportunities for misuse of money and money-centred disputes.

Teen gangs are not new in Bangladesh, the research said; such groups have been visible in urban areas over the past one to one-and-a-half decades. But the issue came into wide discussion after eighth-grader Adnan Kabir was killed in 2017 in a clash between two gangs named 'Nine Star' and 'Disco Boyez' in Sector 13 of Uttara, Dhaka.

The research also noted differences between gangs in Dhaka and outside Dhaka. In Dhaka, neighbourhood-based identity, control of areas, group clashes and snatching come into discussion; in district and mofussil towns, gangs are mainly used in local political feuds, dominance, land disputes and as tools in showdowns and processions of influential local leaders.

For children of wealthy families becoming involved in crime, the research cited not receiving enough time and emotional companionship from parents, unnecessary large amounts of pocket money, uncontrolled freedom, lack of playing fields and displays of power.

The researcher advised that watching a child's mental state, circle of friends, values and behaviour is more important than giving expensive goods or pocket money. He urged parents to give their children time, know their circle of friends, and ensure immediate supervision if they see mental stress or inconsistent behaviour.