Stability hangs in balance in bangladesh as violence rises under the interim govt

Stability hangs in balance in bangladesh as violence rises under the interim govt

Bangladesh is struggling to restore law and order after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s govt., a tenure marked by allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances; the nation has experienced a sharp increase in mob violence, robbery and fabricated cases under the interim government.

Abdul Hai Kanu, a 78-year-old veteran freedom fighter from Bangladesh’s Comilla district, could never have imagined that December — a month synonymous with liberation and pride — would become a chapter of horror in his life.

On Sunday afternoon, in his hometown in Chauddagram under Comilla, Mr. Kanu was on his way to the market when a group of young men, affiliated with the politics of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, surrounded him. They forced a garland of shoes — a symbol of ultimate humiliation — around his neck and captured his torment. They then shared the video on social media where Mr. Kanu can be seen standing visibly crushed. His trembling hands clasped together as he begged for mercy, his voice breaking with desperation. “Let me go,” he pleaded, but his cries were met only with cold disdain. They also asked him to leave the district.

Mr. Kanu was involved with the Awami League (AL), the party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but claimed he never harmed anyone despite his political affiliations. He said that he had to leave his village for eight years due to conflicts with a local MP from Ms. Hasina’s party. After this incident, Mr. Kanu was admitted to hospital and later left for another district.

The chief adviser to press wing under the current interim government has condemned the incident and asked authorities to launch an investigation into it.

Not only Mr. Kanu, but hundreds have recently fallen victim to mob justice, killings, fabricated cases, brutal attacks, and public humiliations across Bangladesh. Mr. Kanu is relatively fortunate to have survived, unlike two young men who were beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of cattle theft in the presence of police in Kishoreganj on December 14. In recent months, an alarming number of people have lost their lives to mob justice across the country.

After the end of Ms. Hasina’s 15-year rule on August 5, a tenure marked by allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, the country has experienced a sharp rise in mob violence, fabricated cases, robbery, mugging, and extortions. The instability persists, with the nation still struggling to restore law and order, even after four months under the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

‘Sense of fear’

Although police operations have resumed across the country, a sense of fear still lingers within the force. The visible police presence has done little to reassure the public, as officers remain hesitant to intervene.

“Since August 5, the police chain of command has been severely disrupted. Senior officers can no longer enforce duties on juniors as they once did. Now, officers think multiple times before intervening in any incident, fearing reprisals if their actions go wrong. There’s still a prevailing trend of prioritising personal safety over intervention,” a police officer stationed at Police Headquarters told The Hindu on condition of anonymity.

The Bangladesh Army remains deployed on the streets to assist civil authorities in improving law and order after the interim government extended their judicial powers for an additional 60 days. But despite their continued presence, incidents of theft, robbery, and extortion persist in the country, showing no signs of abatement while the interim government claims that law and order are gradually returning to normal.

According to the monthly statistics of human rights violations published by leading Bangladeshi human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 82 people were killed in incidents of mob justice till November under the interim government.

Another report published by rights organisation Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) reveals that mob violence claimed the lives of at least 44 people in August and September. The report noted a significant increase in such attacks, with 53 incidents recorded over the two months, including 33 in September alone.

The country has also witnessed a spike in fabricated cases where murder cases are being filed indiscriminately, often including innocent people as the accused. In many instances, money is being demanded from the accused to have their names removed from these cases.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali said, “Many of these cases were intentionally exaggerated, with 150 to 200 or more individuals listed as accused, including AL leaders. Police were forced to file these cases.”

Mugging and robbery have increased significantly, with four persons stabbed to death by muggers in Dhaka and Narayanganj in the past week alone. Meanwhile, three suspected muggers were beaten to death by enraged mobs.

Advocate Saidur Rahman, Chief Executive of MSF, expressed deep concern to The Hindu over the rise in mob justice incidents adding that, “We are deeply concerned about mob justice. Police are not intervening, leading people to believe they can act without police interference. This is why such incidents are occurring,”

However, he noted a sharp decline, almost to zero, in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, which were major concerns during Ms. Hasina’s regime.

Human rights groups documented over 700 victims of enforced disappearances during her tenure. According to ASK, at least 1,926 people were killed extrajudicially in “gunfights” or “crossfires” during the AL’s rule.

“In those cases, the state was the perpetrator, but now the state is not directly involved in mob justice or killings. This is an improvement”, he added.