Bangladesh experienced a dramatic escalation in mob violence, custodial deaths, political bloodshed, and attacks on journalists in 2025, according to a comprehensive new report by leading rights watchdog Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK). The findings raise serious concerns about the country’s deteriorating human rights situation during the tenure of the army-backed interim government installed after August 2024.
The report, scheduled for formal release on Wednesday, documents at least 197 deaths caused by mob violence in 2025 alone—an alarming increase from 128 such deaths in 2024. ASK said that since the interim administration assumed power, at least 293 people have been killed by mobs nationwide.
One of the most shocking incidents occurred on August 9 in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district. Two men—Rup Lal Das (40), a cobbler, and Prodip Das (35), a van driver—were beaten to death by a crowd on suspicion of van theft. According to family members, Prodip had been traveling with Rup Lal to discuss a wedding date for Rup Lal’s daughter when they were stopped near the Bottola area on the Taraganj–Kajirhat road around 9 p.m. and attacked.
ASK alleged that police officers were present at the scene but failed to intervene, instead leaving after seeing a large crowd gather. “The absence of timely police action allowed the mob to carry out a brutal killing,” the organization said in its assessment.
Mob Violence and the Collapse of Due Process
The rights group warned that mob attacks in 2025 increasingly followed a disturbing pattern: no evidence, no investigation, and no legal process—only rumors and collective violence. In several cases, mobs formed under religious slogans and carried out attacks on cultural institutions, Baul communities, and even exhumed and burned bodies from graves.
ASK said these incidents often involved harassment of freedom fighters and individuals holding dissenting views, while law enforcement agencies frequently remained inactive or failed to ensure accountability.
Geographically, Dhaka recorded the highest number of mob-related deaths in 2025 (27), followed by Gazipur (17), Narayanganj (11), Chattogram (9), and Comilla (8), with fatalities reported across nearly every region of the country.
Rising Custodial Deaths and Controversial Cases
The report also documented 107 deaths in custody during 2025, including 69 undertrial detainees and 38 convicted prisoners. This represents a significant increase from 65 custodial deaths in 2024.
A particularly controversial case involved Saidur Rahman Sujan (45), a former union parishad chairman from Birulia, Savar, whose hanging body was found inside Dhaka Central Jail on June 14, 2025. Prison authorities labeled the death a suicide, but family members told ASK that Sujan suffered from heart disease and did not receive adequate medical care.
Another high-profile death occurred on September 29, 2025, when former industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun died while in custody at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Police Inspector Md. Faruk of the hospital outpost said Humayun was admitted the previous day and died at 8:20 a.m. While authorities cited medical causes, public outrage erupted after photos circulated online showing Humayun being transported with handcuffs still on his wrists even after death.
Extrajudicial Killings Persist
ASK recorded 38 extrajudicial killings in 2025, carried out under the guise of “crossfire,” “gunfights,” or during alleged interrogations by law enforcement agencies. Of these, 26 deaths involved physical torture or so-called gunfights, while 12 people died in police custody at police stations.
The organization warned that the continued use of lethal force outside judicial processes reflects a systemic erosion of the rule of law, despite repeated public commitments to reform.
Political Violence Intensifies
Political violence expanded significantly in 2025, with 401 incidents reported nationwide, leaving 4,744 people injured and 102 killed. ASK’s analysis shows clashes not only between rival parties but also severe internal factional violence, particularly within the BNP, resulting in 39 deaths and more than 2,380 injuries.
The data underscore deep internal crises within political organizations and a failure to enforce discipline—factors analysts say have weakened democratic norms and emboldened criminal elements.
Journalists Under Attack
The report paints a grim picture for press freedom. ASK documented 381 cases of journalist harassment and violence in 2025, including assaults, legal intimidation, and death threats. At least 23 journalists were harassed or threatened by law enforcement agencies, while 123 faced lawsuits over their reporting.
The most alarming incident occurred on the night of December 18, when mobs attacked and vandalized the offices of two leading national dailies—The Daily Star and Voice. ASK described the incident as “the worst attack on media institutions in Bangladesh’s history.”
The attackers looted offices, set fires, and even obstructed firefighters. As a result, both newspapers were forced to suspend print and online editions for a day, triggering widespread concern over media safety.
Religious Minorities Targeted
Religious minorities, particularly Hindus, faced at least 42 attacks in 2025, including arson, vandalism, land grabs, and temple desecration. ASK reported damage to 33 homes, 36 arson incidents, four temple attacks, and the destruction of 64 idols, leaving one person dead and at least 15 injured.
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Acting General Secretary Manindra Kumar Nath told Voice that the government had failed to view minority rights through a humanitarian lens.
“Persecution of minorities has been ignored at multiple levels of the state, and justice has not been ensured,” Nath said in an interview, responding to the report’s findings.
‘A Crisis of Tolerance’
ASK Senior Coordinator Abu Ahmed Faizul Kabir warned that the accumulation of mob violence, extrajudicial killings, arson, and media repression reflects a deeper societal breakdown.
“These incidents have created fear and uncertainty across society,” Kabir told Voice. “The use of force in the name of law enforcement, coupled with a lack of accountability, has further weakened public trust in the rule of law.”
He added that growing debates over women’s mobility, dress, and personal freedom have placed women’s fundamental rights under renewed threat.
“These are not isolated incidents,” Kabir said. “They reflect institutional weakness and a profound crisis of tolerance in protecting human rights.”
As Bangladesh approaches another election cycle, the report underscores mounting concerns that unchecked violence, shrinking civic space, and institutional inertia could further destabilize the country—unless decisive steps are taken to restore accountability, protect fundamental rights, and reaffirm the rule of law.
