At least 637 people, including 41 police officers, died in mob lynching incidents in Bangladesh between August 2024 and July 2025.
A Canadian agency report said the country has witnessed one of the deadliest waves of extrajudicial killings in its recent history.
The Global Centre for Democratic Governance, based in Canada, released the data on Saturday. It said mob lynching in Bangladesh surged after the political upheaval in August 2024, which forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina out of office.
Only 51 lynching cases were reported in 2023. The number increased by more than 12 times within a year.
The report cited a ‘dangerous erosion of law and order’ due to political instability and a collapse in public trust in the justice system.
Mass Killings and Political Targets
On 4 August 2024, a mob burnt 24 people alive at the Zabeer Jashore Hotel. Another 182 died on 25 August when Gaji Tyres in Rupganj, Narayanganj, was set ablaze.
The report noted that due to media censorship, full information on all victims remains unavailable.
Human rights groups said more than 70% of the victims had links to the former ruling party, Awami League, or its affiliated wings. Others included religious minorities, especially Hindus and Ahmadiyya Muslims.
Many were accused of blasphemy or political conspiracy based on viral social media posts.
One horrific case was the lynching of Lal Chand Sohag, a Hindu social worker, outside Mitford Hospital on 9 July. His killing was livestreamed on social media, triggering public panic.
A Facebook post falsely accused a Hindu of desecrating a holy book. This led to two deaths and several houses being set on fire.
Weak Interim Government Response
Bangladesh’s interim government under Muhammad Yunus vowed to curb vigilante violence. However, arrests and convictions have been minimal.
Critics claim Yunus has focused on political purges over restoring the rule of law.
A recent SANEM survey found 71% of Bangladeshi youth believe mob violence is now routine. Nearly half said they feared politically driven attacks.
The report warned that without urgent reforms—like police restructuring, judicial independence, misinformation control, and civic education—mob lynching in Bangladesh could become a permanent threat to public life.
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