Mob lynchings have become a disturbing trend in society, as evidenced by recent incidents reported by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK). In the first half of 2024, 32 people fell victim to mob violence, surpassing the number recorded during the same period in 2023.Mob lynchings have become a disturbing trend in society, as evidenced by recent incidents reported by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK). In the first half of 2024, 32 people fell victim to mob violence, surpassing the number recorded during the same period in 2023. ASK attributes this rise in mob lynchings to waning public trust in the justice system. The slow pace of investigations and the long wait for justice in past cases have eroded people’s faith in the ability of authorities to handle such crimes effectively. Gang violence is another pressing concern. Odhikar, a rights group, reported 1,150 incidents of gang violence between 2009 and 2019. This surge in violence often coincides with deteriorating law and order, including incidents of human rights violations by law enforcement agencies. In the first six months of 2024, the number of deaths in law enforcement custody doubled compared to the same period in 2023. Eight individuals, including two women, lost their lives in custody. Afroza Begum, one of the victims, allegedly died after being tortured by police in Jashore. Gender-based violence victims also face challenges in seeking justice due to an unfavorable legal environment. Furthermore, individuals with political or financial influence often escape legal accountability, as exemplified by the case of Pabna’s Bera mayor. Despite an arrest warrant issued against him for failing to repay a large sum to the state, the mayor remains at large two and a half years later. To address these issues, the government must prioritize restoring public trust in the justice system. This requires conducting credible investigations into mob violence cases and addressing factors that contribute to the decline in law and order, such as rights violations by law enforcement officials.
A NUMBER of incidents of mob lynchings, reported quarterly by Ain O Salish Kendra, are not only a worrying sign of crimes but also of people’s declining trust in the justice system. At least 32 people are reported to have been killed in mob violence in January-June, more than the number reported for the corresponding period of 2023. In April, two were killed and five others seriously injured in mob violence when people suspected they were involved in an arson attack on a temple in Faridpur. In July 2019, a woman was beaten to death in Badda and in July 2011, a mob killed six youths near Aminbazar Bridge in Dhaka. Such incidents trigger public protests and prompt civil society groups to raise concerns about law and order. Ain O Salish Kendra also blames the situation on a lack of public trust in the justice system. In the first two cases, little progress had been made in the investigation, and in the third case, the victims’ families had to wait about ten years for a ruling from a lower court.
Gang violence is a public concern. Rights group Odhikar also reports that there were 1,150 incidents of gang violence in 2009-2019. In a period of declining law and order, it is not surprising that gang violence is on the rise, especially when human rights violations by law enforcement agencies are routinely reported. The number of deaths in law enforcement custody reportedly doubled in January-June compared to the corresponding period in 2023. At least eight, including two women, died in custody. One of the victims, Afroza Begum, died in police custody in Abhaynagar, Jashore, hours after she was picked up on June 2. The family alleges that the police first framed Afroza in a false drugs case and tortured her to death for money. Victims of gender-based violence also complain of an unfavorable legal environment. Moreover, there is also concern that people with political and financial influence may escape legal accountability, as is evident from the recent case of the mayor of Bera in Pabna. The police have not arrested the mayor of Bera for over two and a half years, despite an arrest warrant being issued against him because his company failed to pay Tk 191.63 crore to the state.
The government must therefore immediately address the public’s lack of confidence in the justice system. It must also ensure credible investigations into all cases of mob violence and address factors contributing to the decline in law and order, including rights violations by law enforcement officials.
