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 the afternoon of December 22, in his hometown in Chauddagram under Comilla, Abdul Hai Kanu was on his way to the market to buy medicine 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 that has since gone viral 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 met only cold disdain. They also asked him to leave the district.
Mr. Kanu was involved with the Awami League, 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 the local MP from Sheikh Hasina’s party. After this incident, Mr. Kanu was admitted to hospital and left his village for another district. However, the chief adviser press wing condemned the deformation and asked authorities to launch an investigation into the incident.
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 on December 14 in Kishoreganj. In recent months, an alarming number of people have lost their lives to mob justice across the country.
Sharp rise in mob violence
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year regime on August 5, a tenure marked by allegations of extrajudicial killings, 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 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
The surge in many forms of violence has disproportionately targeted both Awami League members and those unaffiliated with the party, often stemming from political disputes, power struggles, internal party conflicts and monetary gains. Although police operations have resumed across the country, and traffic police are actively managing road traffic, 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 prioritizing 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. Despite their continued presence, street patrols, and operations against crime, incidents of theft, robbery, and extortion — many involving politically connected leaders — persist in the country, showing no signs of abatement while the government claims that law and order are gradually returning to normal.
Over 100 high-profile leaders arrested from Awami League
According to the monthly statistics of human rights violations published by leading Bangladeshi human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 82 people were killed in incidents of mob justice over four months —August, September, October, and November — under the interim government. This includes 14 deaths in November 19 in October 28 in September, and 21 in August. In contrast, only 15 people were beaten to death by mobs in the four months prior — April, May, June, and July — before the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, indicating a sharp spike in such incidents.
Another report published by rights organization Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation reveals that mob violence claimed the lives of at least 44 people in August and September. The report noted a significant surge 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 Awami League leaders. Police were forced to file these cases,”.
Police Headquarters sources said, by December 15, 2,350 cases were filed in connection with attacks on students and the public during the July-August uprising. These cases involve several hundred thousand accused. So far, over 10,000 accused have been arrested, including 100 high-profile leaders from the then ruling party.
Several incidents of mugging, robbery reported
Mugging and robbery have surged significantly, with four people 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. On December 23, seven people were killed aboard the MV Al Bakhera, a fertilizer-carrying vessel anchored in the Meghna River in Haimchar, Chandpur. Police reported that the victims were murdered while trying to resist a robbery on the ship.
According to crime statistics from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), over hundred incidents of mugging were reported in the capital between August and December. During this period, at least 10 people were killed in Dhaka alone after being stabbed by muggers.
The country also witnessed a spike in recovering unidentified bodies in three months — August, September and October compared to the same months in 2023. According to Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), at least 112 unidentified bodies were recovered in the three months. Among them, 35 unidentified bodies were found in July, 29 bodies were recovered in August, and September saw the recovery of 48 unidentified bodies.
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,”
Sharp decline in extrajudicial killings
However, he noted a sharp decline, almost to zero, in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, which were major concerns during Sheikh Hasina’s regime. Human rights groups documented over 700 victims of enforced disappearances during her tenure. According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 1,926 people were killed extrajudicially in “gunfights” or “crossfires” during the Awami League’s 15-year 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.
The renowned human rights activist also stated that more than 800 people died, as they documented, during the recent uprising, with around 300 cases filed. In many instances, police and political leaders pressured complainants to name specific individuals.
Published – December 24, 2024 02:45 pm IST
