Mob violence remains out of control, creating a terrifying situation in the country, with a significant rise in incidents of mob actions every other day during the tenure of the interim government.
Experts blame the government for turning a deaf ear to addressing this social menace, but some top aides of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus have refused to accept that.
Records show that a total of 222 people were killed by mob beatings or lynchings since August last year until Thursday, with an average of over 17 deaths each month.
The latest victim was a 35-year-old man who was beaten to death by an angry mob in Madhupur, Tangail, after being accused of stealing a battery-run auto-rickshaw early Thursday.
The incident took place less than 24 hours after two other youths were killed in a similar fashion by locals at Mohammadpur in the capital on Wednesday on suspicion of mugging.
A study by the non-governmental human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reveals that an average of 17 people have been killed each month over the past 13 months due to mob violence.
The highest number of deaths, 28 people, was recorded last September, while 23 were killed in August, with 92 fatalities reported in the Dhaka division alone.
When asked whether the government is failing to control mob violence, Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, speaking at an event in Dhaka on 7 September, said, “We have not failed. Those responsible for these incidents will be brought under the law.”
He, however, admitted that law and order had deteriorated due to recent incidents and that they were doing their best to restore it.
The home adviser, who has been widely criticised for his light comments on some serious issues of mob violence and deteriorating law and order, shifted the blame by stating, “In fact, we have become somewhat intolerant. There is a lack of patience in society. Therefore, I urge everyone to be patient.”
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, who had earlier termed mobsters as pressure groups, said on Thursday that many protests are being portrayed as mob violence.
“In many cases, people are confusing which protests are mob violence and which are not,” he told a roundtable discussion at the Cirdap auditorium in the capital.
Experts attribute the rise in mob violence to factors such as the weakness of the police, legal complexities, the failure of proper law enforcement by the administration, political instability, and personal grudges.
Former inspector general of police Abdul Qayyum outlines three reasons for the rise in mob violence.
“Lack of sense of direction from the government, low morale of the police, and lack of cooperation from the public are the three main causes of mob violence. The government says strict actions will be taken against mobsters, but many do not believe this. Law enforcement agencies also do not believe it,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton blamed the government for turning a deaf ear to addressing the growing menace.
“The government has failed to take visible and strict measures to stop or eliminate mob violence. This attitude helps increase both mob violence and political instability. If the government does not take strong steps to control mob violence, it will disrupt the country’s stability and destroy democracy,” he told TIMES.
Records show that the second-highest death tolls were recorded in Chattogram with 30 incidents, while the lowest, two incidents, took place in Sylhet, Mymensingh, and Rangpur.
Echoing the same view, Touhidul Haque, a professor at the Social Welfare and Research Institute at Dhaka University, said the interim government, formed amid political instability, had failed to take appropriate measures to control mob violence.
“The interim government’s main task is to take necessary measures to control mob violence. But they are only issuing statements. This is the very opportunity that mobsters are exploiting. Since 5 August, the interim government has failed to take appropriate actions to control mob violence,” he told TIMES.
