Mob Violence now Alarmingly Routine

Mob Violence

There are also instances where mobs went on the rampage while law enforcement looked on, the latest being the assault on former chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda.

Over the last 10 months, mobs had assaulted individuals, ransacked offices and homes, desecrated heritage sites, shrines, akhras, and even shut down women's football matches.

According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 179 people were killed in mob attacks between August 2024 last year and June 23 this year.

"Even in the face of horrifying incidents, we are not seeing any visible action from the government that could send out a strong message," said human rights activist Nur Khan Liton.

Mob violence becomes frequent amid political unrest, he told The Daily Star. "But now these types of incidents are happening at an abnormal scale and frequency."

Those who are involved in such incidents must not feel that they can get away with it, he added.

He said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Dhanmondi-32 residence was demolished following public announcements.

"The government did not take proper measures to prevent it. Rather, those who committed the act proudly celebrated what they had done.

"Such instances send out a kind of message that the government will not take any legal action. This is the message these people are receiving, because no action has been taken."

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik in a statement last night said the wave of mob violence that began across the country after the mass uprising last year was now spiralling out of control.

Also yesterday, Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told reporters at the Secretariat that the government had not been able to stop mob violence, but the frequency of the incidents had been lowered.

Asked how many people faced action for mob violence, he said, "I don't know the exact number …. But action has been taken against a large number of people."

He added that law enforcement members would be punished if they were found negligent in curbing violence.

He made the comments amid widespread outrage stemming from the assault on former CEC Huda on June 22.

According to witnesses, a group of men entered Huda's home in the capital's Uttara and assaulted him. In viral video footage, some people are seen putting a garland of shoes around his neck and hitting him across the face with a shoe before handing him over to police who were at the scene.

The joint forces yesterday arrested a suspect named Hanif Mia on charges of assaulting Huda.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda

On Sunday, a barber and his son were beaten up by a mob and later detained by police allegedly for hurting religious sentiment in Lalmonirhat town.

Slating the attack, different rights bodies yesterday demanded thorough investigations into every such case to bring the perpetrators to justice and called for strict measures to ensure such incidents do not recur.

After the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5 last year, the police force virtually disappeared for around two weeks. Mob violence shot up at the time.

In September, former Chhatra League leaders Shamim Molla of Jahangirnagar University and Abdullah Al Masud of Rajshahi University were killed.

At Dhaka University, a mentally challenged man named Tofazzal Hossain was beaten to death by resident students who thought Tofazzal was a thief.

The DU authorities later expelled eight students, and six men were arrested in connection with the killing.

At least two were arrested in connection with the killing of Shamim.

According to The Daily Star's own findings, along with counts made in media reports, over 70 shrines and akhras across the country were attacked, vandalised, set ablaze or looted in August and September last year.

The Chief Adviser's Press Wing on January 18 said 23 suspects were arrested over the attacks on at least 40 shrines following August 5.

On March 6, a mob stormed and ransacked a flat in Gulshan, falsely claiming it belonged to Tanvir Imam, son of Sheikh Hasina's former adviser HT Imam, and alleging that illegal weapons and large sums of cash were hidden there.

Despite police presence, the mob broke open the door. Police and army personnel eventually intervened to restore order and arrested three.

In May, a group of men tried to break into the residence of Golam Mostafa, proprietor of Hakkani Publishers, accusing him of being a "fascist agent".

When police went to the scene, they asked officers to arrest the publisher. As police pointed out that there was no complaint against him, the men engaged in an argument with police.

The law enforcers then detained three men, including a now former leader of the Students Against Discrimination.

Police later released them after Abdul Hannan Masud, senior joint chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party, gave an undertaking that the men would not engage in such activities in the future.

On May 9, a man named Nehal Ahmed Jihad dragged two women out of a launch cabin and whipped them with a belt in front of more than a hundred passengers at Munshiganj launch terminal.

Nehal was arrested but released on bail three weeks later. As he walked out of prison, a large group of men received him with garlands.

Three women's football matches in Rangpur, Dinajpur, and Joypurhat were stopped by groups claiming that such events were against religious norms.

These matches were eventually held after the authorities ensured safety.

MOB KILLINGS HIGHEST IN 10 YEARS

Over the last 10 months, the average mob killing, 17.9 each month, has been the highest in 10 years. In 2015, the monthly average was 11.25, according to ASK.

At least 51 people were killed by mobs in 2016; 50 in 2017; 39 in 2018; 65 in 2019; 35 in 2020; 28 in 2021; 36 in 2022; 51 in 2023; and 32 between January and July last year. From August to December last year, at least 96 people were killed by mobs, ASK data shows.

This year, at least 83 people had been beaten to death by mobs.

WARNINGS IN VAIN

Time and again, the advisory council members made statements against mob violence. But the warnings fell on deaf ears.

On September 19, 2024, Adviser Asif Nazrul said the government would not tolerate mob violence or extrajudicial killings.

The same day, Home Adviser Jahangir said, "If anyone commits any crimes, then the person should be handed over to the law enforcers. You have no right to take the law into your hands."

On March 6, he said, "The government is taking legal action against mob violence whenever and wherever it occurs."

On February 10, Mahfuj Alam said the government adopted a firm stance against "so-called movements and mob drills".

The following month, he said, "From now on, the government will take a strict stance against any form of 'mob justice'."

Contacted, Lawyer Sara Hossain said, "We see government inaction in every case. They say that they won't tolerate it. But what does non-tolerance even mean?

"The home ministry should take a special initiative given that 179 people have been beaten to death by mobs. Those who were involved in these incidents must be identified. The government should take action now. Otherwise, this won't stop."