Dhaka, April 19 -- In Bangladesh, conversations about crime often begin only after it happens. A brutal murder makes headlines; a rape case sparks outrage on social media. Only then do we demand justice, stricter laws or better policing. Yet criminologists have long argued that crime is not merely a legal problem to be punished after it occurs. It is a social process that can, and should be, prevented through education, awareness and early intervention.

This raises a straightforward question: 'Should concepts of crime, justice and prevention be introduced much earlier in Bangladesh's education system?'

At present, criminology in Bangladesh is mostly confined to higher education and even there it remains highly limited in scope. Only thr...