Bangladesh is passing through a time when social stability is breaking down in proportion to any time. Bangladesh is facing different types of problems like malnutrition, unemployment problem, terrorism, corruption, political violence that are signed as major and silent problem. But a social violence like adolescent crime is not silent today. It has spread top to bottom in the society. The incidents of hostile and anti-social activities like smuggling, snatching, trafficking, extortions, murdering in broad daylight are increasing day by day. Because of various reasons, some adolescent are getting involved in these activities. These teenagers have insufficient knowledge and lack the sense of discrimination about determining what is right and wrong. They generally get offended, become emotional or hope to get fame in the society or are influenced by exemplary intention. 

As Bangladesh stands on a poor base economic condition, a constant problem like poverty plays a vital role in compelling these adolescents to get involved in anti-social activities. Because of the poverty, a major part of our children are deprived of their basic needs. Most of the children do not get sufficient food or balanced diet. This is why they suffer from many fatal diseases that lead them physical or mental disorder.  Opportunity to rehabilitate them in proper time is rare due to poor governmental and social infrastructure.

As a result they suffer from frustrations that work as a catalyst to induce them toward criminal activities. They also become unaccustomed to normal life and a negative intention towards society is grown up among them. This kind of scene is found mostly in the slum environment of Dhaka and Chittagong, the metro cities of Bangladesh. Most of the slum children don’t have educational facility. Being uneducated they become a burden to the society. They never engage themselves in any better jobs. Consequently the poverty drives them very much in anti-social activities. As they become adults, their survival instinct propels them to fulfill their needs and desires in any way. Thus they get involved in different types of social crimes like stealing, snatching, trifling, taking drugs etc.

Nowadays adolescent crime is increasing globally. Several types of causes are responsible for it. The causes of increasing adolescent crimes vary from country to country. Acute poverty, political instability and breaking down of family ties are the main causes of adolescent crimes. Apart from the prevailing causes, religious discord also works as a catalyst to increase the tendency of adolescent crime. 

Social researchers Zahidur Rahman Belal said, “Parents must be careful about the behavior of their children to develop mental and physical health of the children’’. Social scientist Altaf Hossain Mahbub thinks, “Along with education it is crying need to manage sound entertainment for the children to grow up a sound mind.’’

Some internal factors of the family also indirectly teach them in becoming aggressive which creates an adverse response to their soft mind. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallan Foundation, a lead NGO in Bangladesh that works with children has found that conjugal parental disputes, familial chaos, physical torture in trifling matter etc., create an environment that propels negative outlook in the adolescents and paves the way that leads to criminal activities. Instead of going to school or practicing games and sports and enjoying creative entertainment, they enjoy vulgar programms that are shown on numerous satellite TV channels which directly or indirectly play a role to take them towards crime.

Unhealthy practice of politics in Bangladesh helps them to grow a criminal tendency. They are often used as a puppet at the hand of the political leaders. In some cases it is found that some teenagers who come from rich and educated family are also involved in crime because of loneliness in the family as their parents go out in the early for work and come back late at night.

References: UNICEF, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation Report