University crime traps: How freshers can stay safe on campus

From political influence and violence to drugs, extortion, gambling and unexplained sources of money, new university students can become vulnerable to criminal networks through seemingly harmless relationships and requests

Getting into a university is one of the biggest achievements in the lives of millions of young people in Bangladesh. After years of hard work, competitive examinations and meeting the expectations of their families, they enter institutions of higher education with new dreams. A new campus brings a new life, new friends, new freedom and new possibilities.

But there is another side to university life that is rarely discussed in admission guidelines or orientation programmes: criminal networks, violent politics, drugs, extortion, mugging, online gambling, abuse of power and various informal circles of influence.

Every year, some students become entangled in these networks. Some do so unknowingly. Others are drawn in by the promise of easy money, a misplaced sense of security or the attraction of power.

Over time, some find themselves on the frontlines of clashes or attacks, while others become involved in extortion or mugging. The young person once sent to university by a family hoping to see them build a better future may eventually find their name in a general diary at a police station, a news report or a criminal case.

How does such a transformation happen? Why does a bright and ambitious student who was known as polite and disciplined at school or college lose their way after entering university? And what can freshers do to avoid these traps?

To explore these questions, this writer spoke with students and teachers from several public universities, psychologists and members of law enforcement agencies. An analysis of several recent incidents also points to a troubling reality: the journey towards crime usually does not begin with a major decision. It often starts with a small compromise, a wrong friendship or the temptation to do “a little job” or “show someone who is in charge.”

The risks hidden in ‘just a little’

During school and college, students generally remain under close supervision from their families and teachers. There is usually some awareness of where they are going, whom they are spending time with and when they are returning home. That structure naturally changes after students enter university.

Many leave their families for the first time and move into university halls or rented accommodation. They have to make their own decisions while adjusting to new friends, a new environment and a new social identity.

Experts consider this one of the most sensitive stages of a student's life. At this stage, young people are also trying to establish their identities. Which groups they associate with, whom they become friends with and what kind of lifestyle they adopt can gradually shape their future.

The consequences of falling in with the wrong people are not always immediately visible.

At first, a senior may simply offer help. They may arrange a seat in a hall, promise to find a tuition job or offer to help a fresher build connections on campus.

As the relationship deepens, dependence can increase. That dependence can eventually turn into control.

A student may initially agree to something they consider harmless or insignificant simply to gain recognition or become trusted by a “big brother” on campus.

Then come the small requests.

“Come with me for a while.”

“Just stand there.”

“There is a procession. Come along.”

“We need to manage something.”

It is often through these seemingly minor requests that the door to a criminal network opens.

How students change

The story of Abhi, a pseudonym used for a University of Dhaka student, reflects this reality. After entering university, he tried to find work at a newspaper through a senior to help ease financial pressure on his family. His intention was simply to earn some money alongside his studies.

The job did not materialise. People who knew him assumed that, like many other students, he would complete university by giving private tuition. But within a year, Abhi had changed dramatically.

He was suddenly riding an expensive motorcycle, carrying a costly camera and wearing branded clothes. His lifestyle had changed noticeably. Yet none of those who knew him could explain where the substantial amount of money had come from in such a short period.

Another example is Tanvir, a pseudonym for a student of the University of Chittagong. After entering university, Tanvir regularly attended classes and generally kept to himself. Then, one day, he was seen carrying a pistol during a clash involving a student organisation on campus.

His female classmate from higher secondary school was shocked. She said Tanvir had been known as one of the most polite boys in their college. After entering university, however, he became involved in politics through a senior from his hall whom he knew through his local connections.

Initially, the involvement did not appear to create serious problems. Gradually, however, he began missing classes more frequently.

At one point, he allegedly began trying to expand his influence around campus, including over shops in and around the university. His name also became linked to a question-paper leakage network. He eventually assaulted a classmate and allegedly held another classmate hostage to extort money.

He had become almost unrecognisable to those who had known him before university.

“New environments, reduced family supervision, financial pressure, distance between teachers and students, and the desire to succeed quickly can together push some students towards risky decisions,” said Dr Md Kamal Uddin, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Dhaka.

Another case involves Soumya, a pseudonym for an honours student at Dhaka College.

The son of a teacher, Soumya began associating with a senior student towards the end of his first year. The senior reportedly worked as a “field influencer” for a powerful political leader and a business group, exerting influence over tender processes.

By the end of his second year, Soumya's name had become linked to a clash over a tender. More than seven years after entering college, he has yet to complete his honours degree.

In many cases, therefore, such dramatic changes among university students are linked to proximity to power, illegal sources of income or organised groups. This can become the starting point for a student's moral decline.

Major crimes committed at universities often do not begin with major ambitions. Instead, there may initially be a desire to earn money easily, gain influence or prove one's importance to friends.

How power networks draw in freshers

In the reality of many public universities, various formal and informal power structures have developed around student politics. Some individuals and groups connected to these structures try to bring new students into their circles. Some offer security. Others promise accommodation, financial assistance or access to power.

In return, students are gradually expected to show loyalty. For some, that loyalty eventually becomes a pathway into crime. The most important point is that most students who begin walking towards crime do not initially consider themselves criminals.

They may believe they are simply keeping a promise to a senior or carrying out an “organisational task.”

But the boundary gradually disappears.

A minor wrongdoing can lead to a more serious offence. Eventually, an act that once seemed normal can become a criminal offence under the law.

The web of campus crime

Recently, the names of several students came up in connection with allegations of assaulting and mugging former students in the University of Dhaka area. Most of those allegedly involved were first-year students.

According to the allegations, the same victims were targeted more than once over several months, and some of the accused were named in both incidents.

The incidents raise a broader question.

How did young people who entered university only one or two years earlier with dreams of higher education become involved so quickly in violence and mugging?

The University of Chittagong has also recently seen an incident in which a former student visiting the campus with his wife was allegedly mugged.

Academics say such incidents cannot simply be viewed as isolated failures by individuals. Rather, they reflect unhealthy campus cultures that have developed over a long period.

Such incidents cause more than financial losses. They raise serious questions about the reputation and security of universities.

A university is not merely a place for education. It is also a space where thousands of young people develop psychologically, socially and intellectually.

When a culture of crime becomes normalised on campus, an entire generation can be affected.

Why do even bright students get involved?

Nazmul Hasan, a student of Environmental Science at the University of Chittagong, believes students experience a major shift after entering university because, for the first time, they spend extended periods away from direct family supervision.

Without proper guidance, he said, the combination of wrong friendships, influential groups and the lure of money can easily affect a student.

Anjum Shahriar, a student of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University, offered a similar observation.

He said the overall campus environment, drugs and the influence of some political groups can sometimes push students towards risky activities.

The situation is not the same at every university, he said, but the risks tend to increase where powerful influence networks are stronger.

Psychologists say students do not become criminals overnight.

Their way of thinking changes first. Then their circle of friends changes. Their lifestyle changes next. Eventually, the boundaries of morality begin to shift.

This is why university authorities and government agencies need to take active, conscious and firm measures to prevent students from falling into such traps.

Dr Md Kamal Uddin, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Dhaka, said the combination of a new environment, reduced family supervision, financial pressure, distance between teachers and students and the desire for quick success can lead some students towards risky decisions.

Students sometimes feel that while others are preparing for their futures, they too must achieve something quickly. This mindset can create an attraction towards shortcuts, he said.

He believes the solution cannot rely solely on law enforcement.

Universities also need stronger teacher-student relationships, greater financial support through legitimate channels, stronger counselling services and a campus culture based on values.

How students can protect themselves

The most effective way to avoid criminal traps is to learn to recognise warning signs early.

Here are some steps students can take.

1. Spend the first six months observing

One of the biggest mistakes a fresher can make is becoming closely associated with a group or power circle too quickly.

Do not choose your friends based on who is influential, popular or politically active.

Use the first few months to understand the campus and the people around you before forming close relationships.

Be particularly cautious about anyone who demands your loyalty from the beginning.

Maintain your own identity.

2. There is no such thing as ‘easy money’

Financial pressure is not unusual during university life.

Thousands of students earn money through private tuition, part-time jobs, freelancing and remote work. Those who can take the risk may also start small businesses with limited capital.

These are legitimate ways to earn.

But if someone tells you that you can make several thousand taka by doing “a little work,” that you only need to accompany them, that you do not have to do anything except be present, or that you can make easy money through online gambling, recognise the warning sign.

An income that cannot be explained or is not earned through a legitimate activity can eventually bring serious trouble.

3. Build your own identity

Some students believe that staying close to a powerful senior will give them advantages on campus.

They may gain some short-term benefits. But in the long run, they can lose their independent identity and find it difficult to break away from the relationship.

Your greatest strength at university is not a group or a powerful senior. It is your own reputation.

4. Choose friends based on character

Good friends are among the greatest assets of university life.

Stay close to people who attend classes regularly, take their studies seriously, respect others, maintain healthy family relationships and make plans for their future.

Keep your distance from people who constantly talk about clashes, power and influence or seek unethical relationships.

If you are confident enough, you may try to help such a person with a group of friends. But be careful not to become trapped in the same behaviour while trying to rescue someone else from it.

5. Be responsible on social media

A comment, photograph or live video posted today may remain part of your public identity for years.

Do not share posts, comments or videos that encourage clashes, hatred, threats or violence.

Respect gender equality and maintain respect for people of all religions and viewpoints.

6. Stay away from drugs and gambling

One of the most common arguments surrounding drugs at universities is that “nothing will happen if you try it once.”

For many people, however, this can be the beginning of a downward spiral.

Drugs can damage not only health but also judgement, self-control and decision-making ability. That can make a person easier for criminal networks to manipulate.

Young people have also become trapped in both physical and online gambling, with some eventually dropping out of their education.

Maintain complete distance from gambling. Do not put yourself or your family at risk.

Use smartphones and easily available internet access primarily for academic and productive purposes.

7. Do not remain silent when you are in danger

If someone threatens you, demands money, forces you to attend a programme or tries to involve you in criminal activity, do not attempt to deal with the situation alone.

Seek help from a trusted teacher, hall administration, proctor's office, family or law enforcement agencies.

You may also seek assistance from credible non-government organisations or online platforms.

It may feel difficult to complain at first, but the cost of remaining silent can become much greater later.

8. Do not remember your teachers only during exams

A university teacher is not there only to conduct classes.

A good teacher can become one of your most reliable advisers.

Maintain regular communication with at least one teacher in your department and speak to them when you face a serious problem.

9. Stay away from family, but not out of touch with them

Many students reduce communication with their families after entering university.

That is a mistake.

Even if you cannot speak every day, remain in regular contact with your parents or guardians.

Share your experiences, concerns and plans with them. Let them know about your friends and living arrangements.

Many problems can be prevented at an early stage if the family becomes aware of them in time.

10. Learn to say ‘no’

One of the most important abilities a student can develop is the ability to say “no” when necessary.

Reject any activity that threatens your ethics, safety or future, even if the request comes from a senior, friend or acquaintance.

A firm “no” can sometimes save a life.

11. Focus on personal development and academic performance

From the beginning of university life, focus on building your character and maintaining good academic performance.

Be humble where humility is needed and firm where firmness is necessary.

Build a circle of good friends with whom you can study, socialise, travel and discuss your future.

A poor result in the first year can require significant additional effort to overcome. It may not always be easy.

But performing well in the first semester and first year can create the motivation needed to maintain a strong GPA throughout the rest of university life.

Warning signs to watch for

Students should maintain their distance when certain behaviours repeatedly appear among an individual or group.

These include:

• Unexplained sources of money

• Frequent discussions about weapons or violence

• Involvement in drug use or drug dealing

• Using threats or intimidation to get things done

• Using a university identity for personal gain

• Treating university authorities or the law with contempt

• Constantly trying to recruit new students into a particular group or circle

The choices made at university can shape an entire life

The four or five years spent at university can be among the most important years of a person's life.

This is when professional identities, social networks, values and foundations for leadership are developed.

That is also why the consequences of wrong decisions can be particularly serious.

A video of a fight, a criminal case, an allegation of mugging, a drug-related arrest or even a semester lost because of academic misconduct can cast a long shadow over a person's future employment, higher education and personal life. The opposite is also true.

If a student chooses good friends, develops their skills, works with teachers and researchers, participates in volunteer activities and builds their character on a strong foundation, university can become the source of some of the greatest strengths in their life.

A university is not a battlefield. It is a place for developing knowledge, reason and humanity. Creating a safe and appropriate environment is therefore the responsibility of university authorities. But students must also remain aware, cautious and responsible in their own choices. The future of the country rests in the hands of its young people.

If those hands choose weapons over books and pens, violence over reason or shortcuts over hard work, the damage will not be limited to one student. Families and society will also bear the consequences.

That is why entering university should not be the end of an admission test. It should also be the beginning of another important test: learning to make the right choices.