At least 54 people were killed and 145 others injured in the incidents of mob violence across the country between July and September, according to a report released by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) on Monday.
During the three-month period, at least 37 prisoners died in the country, including 14 convicted inmates and 23 undertrial prisoners.
The monitoring report was compiled from accounts published in 16 daily newspapers, alongside independent data collection and fact-finding conducted by HRSS.
The report revealed that 183 incidents of political violence were reported, leaving 17 people dead and 1,227 injured. It also said that severe human rights violations spanned political violence, attacks on journalists, border casualties, and escalating violence against women and children.
HRSS said 137 incidents of mob violence were triggered by a range of allegations, including theft, robbery, mugging, rape and attempted rape.
Expressing grave concern over deaths in detention and custodial torture, the rights watchdog documented the deaths of at least 37 individuals in prisons, including five Awami League affiliates and 32 ordinary prisoners.
Furthermore, six individuals died in the custody or under the torture of law enforcement agencies, with five dying in custody and one succumbing to torture. Five others lost their lives whilst attempting to evade arrest out of fear of law enforcement. In another incident, an auto-rickshaw driver died after falling ill following the seizure of his vehicle by police.
In Dhaka’s Mirpur, a businessman named Shamim Khan was reportedly picked up in plain clothes and, following two days of detention, formally shown arrested in a case initiated under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The organisation also highlighted the recovery of 302 bodies in 285 murder incidents from rivers, canals, forests, and abandoned locations across the country. Among the bodies, 29 were found stuffed in sacks, 67 were found hanging, 43 bore multiple marks, 19 had their throats slit, 19 had their hands and feet bound, and 125 were recovered under various other circumstances.
Political Feuds and Factional Clashes
At least 17 people were killed and 1,227 others injured in 183 incidents of political violence. An analysis of the violence revealed that 161 of these incidents representing 88 per cent stemmed from internal feuds within the BNP or clashes between the party and other political parties.
Intra-party clashes within the BNP alone accounted for 69 incidents, resulting in at least 540 injuries and nine deaths. Clashes between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami erupted on 31 occasions, leaving 338 people injured and one dead.
Of the 17 individuals killed in political clashes, nine belonged to BNP (53 per cent), three to Awami League, two to Jamaat, and three to other groups.
In addition, 16 clashes between the BNP and the Awami League caused 81 injuries and two fatalities; 14 confrontations between the BNP and the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP) left 70 injured; 31 clashes between the BNP and other parties caused 69 injuries; and one internal feud within the Awami League resulted in one death.
A further 19 clashes involving various other political entities left 126 people injured and three dead.
Rivalry surrounding upcoming elections also sparked at least six violent incidents, leaving at least 45 people injured. These included four internal BNP clashes that left at least 36 injured, and two clashes between the BNP and Jamaat that resulted in at least nine injuries.
Mass Arrests and Legal Action
The watchdog reported that over 126 cases were filed against political figures, naming 2,541 individuals alongside approximately 7,915 unnamed accused.
Law enforcement agencies arrested more than 37,000 individuals during regular and special countrywide drives aimed at tackling terrorism and sabotage, apprehending warrant-listed suspects, and maintaining general law and order.
Attacks on Journalists
Media professionals faced persistent intimidation and physical violence, with at least 135 journalists tortured and harassed in 88 incidents. Among them, at least 63 journalists were injured, 27 subjected to physical assaults and humiliation, 18 threatened, and nine detained.
Furthermore, 18 journalists were named as accused in four cases filed under the Cyber Security Act.
Law enforcement agencies obstructed 18 rallies, injuring 128 people and detaining eight, including political activists, students, labourers, and general pedestrians.
Under different sections of the Cyber Security Act 2026, 32 individuals were accused and 11 arrested across 10 separate cases. Eight people were detained for posting objectionable remarks concerning Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, whilst three were detained and three cases filed for criticising other political personalities. Seven individuals were detained and seven cases registered on allegations of hurting religious sentiments and desecrating the Quran.
In addition, three individuals were killed, two tortured, and six dismissed from their jobs over controversies surrounding ongoing political issues, July issues, narcotics, power outages, defamatory digital content, and derogatory remarks. Another 15 individuals were detained over accusations of cyberbullying, criticism on Facebook, and slurs.
Border Casualties and Attacks on Minorities
The report documented at least six attacks targeting religious minority communities, leaving six people injured, alongside attacks and vandalism targeting two temples, five idols, and four homesteads.
Along the India–Bangladesh frontier, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) carried out 11 attacks, killing four Bangladeshi nationals and injuring four others, all of whom sustained bullet wounds.
Six individuals were detained by the BSF, and the body of a woman was recovered from a border area. On the Bangladesh–Myanmar border, four incidents left one person injured, one shot, and three detained, whilst landmine explosions killed two individuals and wounded two others.
Surge in Violence Against Women and Children
A total of 783 women and female children were subjected to torture and abuse during the quarter. At least 253 women and girls were raped, with 154 of the victims (61 per cent) being minors under the age of 18.
Forty-two victims (17 per cent) were subjected to gang-rape. Twelve victims were murdered following rape, and one died by suicide, including five young children and adolescent girls.
Furthermore, 220 women and girls suffered sexual harassment and assault, of whom 103 (47 per cent) were children.
Dowry-related violence claimed the lives of 13 women, injured 17, and drove two to suicide. Domestic violence resulted in the deaths of 137 women, left 68 injured, and led to 72 suicides. One woman was injured in an acid attack.
Overall, 733 children were subjected to abuse, with 189 losing their lives and 544 suffering physical and mental torment.
HRSS Urges Immediate Action
Reflecting on the findings, Izazul Islam, executive director of the HRSS, said that coordinated initiatives across all levels of the state and society are urgent to bring human rights violations under control, establish the rule of law, and reinforce democratic processes in Bangladesh.
He emphasised that decisive measures must be instituted immediately to curb mob violence, political violence, attacks on journalists, restrictions on free speech, violence against women and children, persecution of minorities, workplace hazards, and custodial and prison deaths. Without urgent intervention, he warned, the human rights situation could deteriorate further.
Izazul urged the government to implement more transparent, accountable, and responsible measures to safeguard fundamental rights, whilst calling upon citizens, journalists, civil society organisations, and rights defenders to play an active and responsible role.
