At least 18 people were killed and over 912 others injured in political violence across the country in March, according to a report by the human rights organisation Human Rights Support Society (HRSS).
The monthly human rights monitoring report, released in a press statement on Saturday, revealed that 113 incidents of political violence occurred throughout the month. Although the total number of incidents decreased compared to February—which recorded 346 incidents—the death toll saw an increase from the 10 fatalities reported the previous month.
The HRSS noted that a significant portion of the violence was driven by internal party feuds, efforts to establish dominance, post-election disputes, and clashes between supporters. These incidents frequently involved attacks, vandalism, arson, and looting.
According to the report, the highest level of violence was linked to internal conflicts within the BNP, where nine people were killed and at least 501 were injured across 45 incidents. Clashes also broke out between various political groups, including BNP-Jamaat and BNP-Awami League.
The report highlighted an alarming rise in mob violence, with 13 people killed and 38 injured in 25 incidents involving allegations of theft, snatching, and religious insults.
Journalists also faced significant risks; the HRSS recorded 34 incidents in which 59 journalists were subjected to torture and harassment during the month.
Regarding broader human rights violations, the report stated that at least 273 women and girls were victims of abuse, including rape, gang rape, murder, and suicide. Violence against children was equally concerning, with 176 children falling victim to abuse, resulting in 64 deaths.
In the labour sector, 19 people were killed and 176 injured in 77 incidents. Furthermore, 38 workers lost their lives due to a lack of security in their workplaces. The monitoring report also identified instances of extrajudicial killings, deaths in prison, and interference with the freedom of expression.
Ejajul Islam, Executive Director of HRSS, stressed the need for coordinated initiatives at all levels of the state and society to strengthen the rule of law and protect human rights. He warned that if issues such as post-election violence, mob terror, custodial deaths, and interference with freedom of expression are not resolved quickly, the situation could further deteriorate.
