By now, we must conclude that the recent spate of shootings in Bangladesh over the month of November is cause for serious alarm. 

In Khulna, a man was killed and another critically injured in broad daylight on the premises of a court -- a place meant to symbolize justice and security. In Old Dhaka, a youth was shot in the head on November 22 while another, reportedly a wanted criminal, was gunned down on November 10. 

This is a disturbing pattern of gun violence, one that is eroding slowly but surely bringing about fear in the general public while eroding public trust in law enforcement and the rule of law.

What is perhaps most troubling is the brazenness of these crimes; to carry out an attack in front of a court or to target people in crowded neighbourhoods is a terrifying sign of the audacity of the perpetrators.

More importantly, such audacity displayed also illuminates the glaring failures of our policing. Our law enforcement agencies have not been good enough for some time now, always arriving after the damage has been done. This knowledge of their incompetence is unquestionably emboldening criminals, who operate with the confidence that they will not be swiftly identified or punished.

Guns in the hands of criminals are nothing but instruments of intimidation that corrode the very fabric of civic life. There must be zero tolerance for such crimes, and we expect the authorities concerned to do a better job with regard to preventing these attacks before they occur and, most crucially, ensuring that perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice. 

Every delay in identifying and prosecuting these criminals sends the wrong message that violence can be committed with impunity, and that is not the nation we should be.