Disaster and Crime in the Coastal Area of Bangladesh: A Study on Police Activities

Abstract

Background: The coastal areas of Bangladesh are prone to multiple threats such as cyclones, storm surges and floods, as well as earthquakes, tsunamis, and above all, climate change. These types of disaster hamper the human lives and community order. The local police force of Bangladesh has to take some seasonal actions controlling the human behavior in during and post disasters period in the coastal areas on Bangladesh. Objective: The main focus of the study is to know how disasters and crimes are interrelated and what forms of crime are being done in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. The present study is conducted to know this involving the police force activities in the by taking the perception of the community people perceptions as well as the tentative suggestions by the mass people how to change the situations for a better milieu. Methods and tools: This were a mixed method study conducted among 385 study subjects residing in coastal areas of Bangladesh. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview schedule by maintaining purposive sampling method through face-to-face interview sessions. Results: A number of 89.01% (male) and 82.15% (female) respondents of the coastal areas mentioned that they have to face tidal mostly in the terms of natural disaster. The study shows that 98.32% are committed to act of stealing (family goods, fish, trees, etc.), 59.20% committed to torture women and children, 86.37% captured the neighbors’ goods and resources. Picture of crimes that were done by the local people in post-disaster in the coastal areas notably 89.36% involved in stealing and quarreling, 84.21% terrorism for money, 98.24% in the name of relief, 68.32% exchanged goods ill-legally, 42.52% sexual harassed and 58.64% ill-legal possession of land. Regarding police assistance, 26.35% respondents were helped to obey the laws, 36.95% harassed by the local police force, 53.24% faced bribe questions in the name of service, 58.03% no helped from the police force, 54.76% mentioned police didn’t come to the disasters spot, 49.38% mentioned police helped to control the armed robbers, 65.96% happy to get the service from the village police force, 59.37% said police force avoided the demand of mass people.