Dhaka, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : The aftermath of the July 2024 uprising has seen a troubling increase in mob violence and law enforcement issues across Bangladesh. A recent report highlights a growing tendency among citizens to take the law into their own hands, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the police.
According to a report from Global Voices, the interim government that emerged after the political upheaval has been scrutinized by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The organization expressed concern over the rising trend of mob gatherings aimed at pressuring authorities to meet demands. This pattern has continued under the leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) following the parliamentary elections in February 2026.
The report cites Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, who noted that the impunity enjoyed by offenders is fostering this trend in Bangladesh.
Citing data from the Dhaka-based human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), the report reveals that between January and August 2026, at least 154 individuals were killed in mob violence incidents across the country.
Bangladeshi TV journalist Rifat Alam Risan experienced mob violence firsthand. After the shooting of radical Islamic leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi in December 2025, he went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital to gather reports and footage. There, he was attacked by a mob.
On September 20, 2026, Risan recounted to Global Voices that the situation escalated when a mob member accused him of shooting Hadi. The unfounded allegation quickly spread, leading to an assault on him without any investigation or verification. He was beaten and forcibly removed from the hospital, even falling to the ground as the crowd attempted to seize his phone. Fortunately, he was rescued by a fellow journalist and other media personnel.
Another Bangladeshi journalist, Jamal Ruhani, expressed concern about the tactics employed in mob violence. He noted that typically one or two individuals target a person, but soon many others join in the assault.
Ruhani emphasized that often the assailants do not know whether the person they are attacking is guilty. Victims frequently remain unaware of the accusations against them. A single shout to “attack” can incite the mob to violence.
He also raised doubts about police preparedness, stating that since August 5, police morale has diminished. Ruhani alleged that in areas prone to mob violence, police are often inadequately prepared and lack a constant state of vigilance.
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