Mob lynching incidents in Bangladesh have surged nearly 400 per cent since the interim government led by Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus assumed power, according to a damning new report by the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), a Delhi-based human rights watchdog.
The report, titled “Bangladesh: One Year After July Revolution, Ochlocracy Rules”, offers a bleak assessment of the country’s deteriorating law and order situation following last year’s political upheaval.
According to RRAG, at least 185 individuals were lynched and 281 others injured in mob violence between August 2024 and June 2025, compared to 51 lynching deaths recorded in 2023 under the former Sheikh Hasina-led government.
“Mob violence has surged alarmingly under the current interim administration,” said RRAG Director Suhas Chakma. “A total of 466 people have been affected by such attacks in just eleven months since Yunus assumed office.”
According to official data from the police headquarters, 610 robberies, 3,554 murders, and 4,105 rapes were recorded over the past ten months. However, the Chief Adviser claimed “the number of major violent crimes in the country has not increased significantly,” drawing sharp criticism for downplaying the scale of unrest.
The roots of the ongoing instability trace back to the mass protests that erupted on 19 July 2024, over contentious government job quotas. Days of demonstrations, curfews, and military crackdowns eventually led to the collapse of the Hasina administration on 4 August. Yunus was formally appointed Chief Advisor of the caretaker government on 8 August.
Despite measures such as granting executive magistracy powers to military officers ranked captain and above—announced on 17 September 2024—the interim regime has been unable to stem the growing tide of vigilante justice.
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The RRAG cited the brutal lynching of 53-year-old Roksana Begum Ruby, her son Russel Mia (35), and daughter Jonaki Akhter (25) in Muradnagar upazila of Comilla on 3 July 2025 as one of the most horrific cases documented.
Another high-profile incident mentioned in the report was the mob attack on former Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, who was reportedly assaulted and publicly humiliated in Dhaka’s Uttara area on 22 June 2025.
The watchdog accused the interim government of fostering a culture of impunity by shielding those involved in the July 2024 uprising, during which 44 police personnel were killed. This has allegedly emboldened vigilante groups such as the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, now accused of orchestrating violent demonstrations targeting media outlets, political opponents, and the judiciary.
“These student-led groups have not only forced the resignation of top judges but also led attacks on political institutions,” Chakma said, citing the burning of the Jatiya Party headquarters in October and the increasing involvement of BNP cadres in violent acts.
The RRAG warned that Bangladesh risks spiralling further into chaos unless urgent steps are taken to restore constitutional order and the rule of law.
“If the interim administration continues to rely on mobs as a tool for control, the situation will only deteriorate,” Chakma cautioned.
The report has triggered alarm both domestically and internationally regarding Bangladesh’s democratic trajectory and commitment to fundamental rights.
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