Khulna Teen Gangs Controlled by 22 Criminal Groups, 58 Murders in First Eight Months

Juvenile crime across Khulna city and district has become a major concern for residents. An investigation found at least 22 teen gangs are active in the city, large and small.

Clashes between the gangs have led to a double murder in the city. Conflicts continue over sharing drug sale money and establishing dominance. Behind the gangs, there are allegations of shelter and patronage from local political influential figures and so-called 'big brothers'.

The investigation found that groups such as 'B-Company', led by Khulna top criminal Grenade Babu, the 'Palash Group', 'Nur Azim Bahini' and 'Ashik Bahini' have their own Facebook pages and groups. Law enforcement sources say at least 14 active pages and IDs of theirs have been found on social media. Before or after a crime they post statuses threatening rivals on Facebook.

Juveniles are becoming involved in murder, drug dealing, mugging, extortion and preparation for robbery. Teenagers and youths aged 14 to 20 are committing crimes from dominance in neighbourhoods, drug trade and mugging to using firearms in broad daylight.

Their presence is highest around the railway station, Ghat areas 5 and 7, Sonadanga inter-district bus terminal, various parks, Tutpara Barakhalpar, Labanchara, Mollapara, Ahsan Ahmed Road, the Rupsha Bridge area and Harintana. Attacking ordinary people without reason, sexually harassing women and attacking rivals with sharp weapons over trivial incidents have become everyday occurrences.

Information has emerged about juvenile offenders' involvement in the shooting deaths of two youths on August 19 in Labanchara over a drug-related dispute. According to police, at least 58 murders occurred in Khulna in the first eight months of this year, with the direct and indirect conflicts of these gangs behind a large share of them.

On August 19, Md Manjurul Islam (23) and Md Nazmul (18) were shot and hacked to death in the Ashibigha area of Harintana under Labanchara police station. RAB-6, acting on information about the involvement of Alamin Hasan Saifi of Tutpara and his associates, arrested Saifi and Rafiqul Islam Rakib on August 21 from Majhigati Raja area in Gopalganj Sadar. Under interrogation Saifi said the deceased Nazmul was a member of their group and the deceased Manjurul was linked to the Rafiq group.

Most of the offenders start through drugs. School dropouts and rootless children in slum areas are becoming addicted to phensedyl, yaba and other drugs. To raise money for drugs they first start mugging and theft, which later turns into bigger crimes. Recently, several juveniles were detained with sharp weapons and large quantities of yaba in special drives in Rupsha and Harintana.

Local residents allege that when law enforcement runs special drives, gang members hide for a few days, but when drives slacken they return to the areas. Allegations say political shelter and the patronage of so-called big brothers are making them more reckless.

Police and intelligence documents list 22 criminal groups active in Khulna city's eight police stations and adjoining upazilas, including B-Company, Ashik Bahini, Nur Azim Group, Golden Boyz, Tipsy Boyz, King of Rupsha, Palash Group, Huma Bahini, Danger Boyz, Tenki Shawn Group, Arman Group, Shakil Group, Nasim Group, Seven Star, Nineteen Boyz, Blood Boyz, Black Eagle, Dark Knights, Chingri Palash Group, Shiplu alias Rocky Group and Sinbad Group.

On B-Company, police and intelligence sources say this syndicate led by Roni Chowdhury alias Babu alias Grenade Babu has spread across the city and to Bagmara in Rupsha and Jalma in Batiaghata and other upazilas. On March 27, 2023, a court sentenced Grenade Babu to life imprisonment in a murder case, but sources say he had already left on bail and fled before that. The group is currently led by Roni Chowdhury, a resident of Shamsur Rahman Road in the city.

Ashik Bahini is active in Tutpara, Rupsha, Chanmari and Labanchara. Its chief Ashik is absconding. On October 7, 2024, a navy drive arrested five people including Ashik's brother Sajib. Sajib faces 11 cases in different police stations. Earlier, on August 1, 2023, RAB arrested Sajib with 9,350 yaba pills from the Rupsha Bridge toll plaza.

The investigation also said that after the political change of August 5, 2024, the faces of teen gang patrons in Khulna changed overnight, but field-level members remained the same. Local leaders of various political parties are alleged to be using these juveniles to increase numbers at party rallies and to hold dominance.

In special drives over the past few months, police and SRB have arrested several gang members with weapons. Sonadanga police arrested a member named Sahel in Gallamari and Sonadanga. Sabbir Hawlader was arrested from Basupara in Sonadanga and Akash Sheikh from Bagmara. Six active members were arrested and sent to jail from the Tetultala Gate 10 area of Batiaghata for extortion and holding people hostage.

Shah Mamunur Rahman Tuhin, director of social organisation Global Khulna, said 20 percent of Khulna city's people live in slums. In extreme poverty, parental separation or family abuse, many children leave home and take shelter on the streets. Gang leaders or local criminal groups use them as shields in crime.