Bangladesh sees mob killings, jail deaths double in January
text_fields
Dhaka: Bangladesh recorded a sharp surge in mob violence and custodial deaths during January, with fatalities from public beatings more than doubling to 21 from 10 in December 2025, according to a Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) monitoring report released Saturday. The document described the month's human rights situation as alarmingly violent, attributing the rise in mob attacks to state inaction fostering impunity and eroding public trust in the justice system.
Custodial fatalities climbed to 15 in prisons from nine previously, with two more deaths in law enforcement custody, linked to medical negligence, poor conditions and systemic failures. Unidentified bodies recovered nationwide also increased to 57 from 48, while election-related clashes ahead of the 13th national polls killed four and injured 509, up sharply from December's single death.
The report further noted a tripling of unidentified persons named in political cases to 320, a practice critics say enables mass arrests, alongside 257 violence cases against women and children including 34 rapes and 11 gang rapes, plus 21 attacks on minorities like temple vandalism, up from six. MSF demanded impartial probes and stronger citizen protections to rebuild faith in law enforcement.
(Inputs from IANS)