Bangladesh is undergoing a dark phase in its history. The country which gained independence through great struggle and sacrifice by people is ravaged by the corrupted few. The corruption and lawlessness during the rule of tyranny is so obnoxious that it is not even sparing the children.

Over the last few years, it observed the so-called rise of “Teen Gangs”, groups of armed teenagers that are wreaking havoc in the big cities. They are extorting people and creating fear. Even some killings were reported. Each of these groups have five to 15 members. Needless to say, they are backed by the local leaders of the ruling party.

According to a leading newspaper “The members of these teen gangs are involved in different types of offences, including killing, forcefully occupying lands, kidnapping, mugging, extortion, intimidating others with weapons and teasing to maintain supremacy in specific areas. Most of them are from lower class or middle-class families.”

It is learnt there are as many as 80 such gangs in Dhaka and more than 200 in Chattogram. The local Ward Councilors are patronising these groups. Police claimed they cannot stop them. In a sense it is ironic because the same police are most active in hunting down opposition activists and brutally harassing  even the innocent ones. It seems like corruption in other sectors of the country, this racket is conducted by the top-tier ruling party leaders with the aid of local goons.

The Teen Gang phenomena is not only dangerous because it is inducing violence but also destroying the lives of young people and thus the future of the country. Few days ago, newspapers reported that around 3.5 million children are homeless and growing up alone. The state, which is miserably failing to safeguard these hapless children, is using them as the pawn of diabolic activities.

The Boxer: The author is one of the indefatigable working-class Bangladeshis who have been trying to change the fate of the nation but were betrayed by the ruling elites and autocrats. The name is inspired by a character in George Orwell's 1945 novel Animal Farm.