Staff Correspondent

The growing trend of taking the law into one’s own hands has reached an alarming level across the country, claiming at least 249 lives in mob violence over the past 12 months.

The victims of such extrajudicial violence range from members of law enforcement agencies to teachers, businesspersons, and students, revealing a distressing breakdown in public safety and the rule of law.

Data from various human rights organizations indicates a relentless series of mob lynching and vigilante attacks since the beginning of this year. In January alone, 21 people were killed and 21 others injured in 27 separate incidents of mob violence.

The numbers escalated in February, with 31 incidents resulting in 16 deaths and 31 injuries. March recorded 36 incidents leaving 21 dead and 51 injured, while April saw 19 fatalities and 46 injuries. The situation worsened in May with 29 deaths and 46 injuries across 45 incidents, followed by a sharp spike in June, where 76 incidents resulted in 34 deaths and 126 injuries.

August recorded the highest intensity of mob violence, with 35 deaths and at least 105 injuries in a single month. Geographically, the Dhaka division reported the highest number of casualties.

Overall, 128 people were killed in mob lynchings in 2024, compared to 198 in 2023. Furthermore, over 400 members of law enforcement agencies have come under attack during the last nine months. Minor suspicions, petty theft accusations, or mere rumors have repeatedly triggered brutal vigilante attacks.

Human rights experts and activists have expressed grave concern over the continuing violence, identifying a deep-seated culture of impunity, social degradation, and the rapid spread of unverified rumors as the primary drivers behind citizens taking the law into their own hands.

Analysts emphasize that without visible law enforcement and exemplary punishment for perpetrators, restoring order will remain elusive. They stressed the urgent need to rebuild public trust in law enforcement agencies while launching grassroots awareness campaigns.

Failure to immediately curb mob terror will severely impede the country’s overall law and order situation, hurting trade, business, and investments.

While the public initially anticipated that mob violence—which spiked during the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus—would subside under the newly formed BNP administration, the lack of visible improvement has led to growing public frustration.

Stakeholders now strongly urge the government to adopt immediate special measures to bring the situation under control in the national interest.