As it is, pedestrians are reluctant to use the bridge, it lies virtually deserted and mugging activities have discouraged the public further because of insecurity people feel in using the bridge. The bridge, pedestrians allege has turned paradise for muggers, local mobsters, vagabonds and drug addicts.

Homeless people too at times find refuge on the bridge at night.

"The bridge is long and empty and muggers are secure as they can flee easily from law enforcers," said Oliullah, a visitor to the city who was mugged last week. He related his experience: "Three young men walked up to me as if I was a long lost friend. One of them put his arm round my shoulders as the other two walked along." He said the miscreants asked him to walk normally, as though nothing was amiss or else they would shoot him.

Though officers of the Science Laboratory police box said that they could not make the pedestrians use the over bridge, a few people, especially new comers to the city used the bridge as an observation deck to have a clear view of the area.

"The bridge is empty and we do not know who the muggers are and who the victims will be," said an on-duty police officer claiming that they have not received any complaints of mugging on the bridge.

During the last few months numbers of criminal activities have increased and miscreants applied various techniques to their motives. Police said the muggers generally come out in evening or early morning and target the people who look comparatively well to do and those new to the city.

"Soon after I was mugged, I informed an officer on duty in the police box, but by the time there was some reaction, the muggers fled," said Hasibul Hasan, a resident of Central Road who was mugged on January 19, this year.

"The police asked me to file a general diary with Dhanmondi police station, which is rather a distance from the spot. Not being confident of what the police would do, I refrained as I had never heard of any recovery of mugged items," Hasibul said.

During its construction in 2003 a grid of the foot over bridge fell on the busy road killing two people. The bridge was open to pedestrians last year.

On duty police officer Aminul Islam at the Science laboratory police box said it was not their duty to protect pedestrians from muggers but to ensure the smooth flow of traffic under the bridge.