In May, Bangladesh witnessed a disturbing rise in violence, mob justice, and crimes against women and children, according to a monthly report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), warning of a deepening human rights crisis across the country.
The report released on Friday compiling data from media monitoring and the organisation's own sources states that at least 64 incidents of political violence were recorded in May, leaving 5 people dead and 289 injured.
During this period, 66 incidents of mob beatings and related violence resulted in 31 deaths and 68 injuries, highlighting what HRSS described as a growing trend of extrajudicial violence and public lawlessness.
The report also paints a grim picture of violence against women and children. A total of 305 women and minors were subjected to abuse, including 83 rape cases. Nearly 70 per cent of the rape victims were under the age of 18. In six cases, victims were killed following sexual assault, four of whom were children.
In addition, 76 women and girls were victims of sexual harassment, with 42 of them being minors.
HRSS raised concern over child mortality linked to measles-like symptoms and healthcare limitations, claiming that more than 600 children have died in the past three months.
The report further referenced a separate incident at a Dhaka hospital where six newborns died within a single day.
On political violence, HRSS said incidents were driven largely by internal party conflicts and struggles for local dominance. Victims included members of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, UPDF, and civilians.
Border violence also remained a concern. The report documented four Bangladeshi deaths and 20 injuries in alleged attacks by India's Border Security Force (BSF), along with three deaths caused by landmine explosions along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
HRSS noted a rise in arrests, stating that at least 1,935 people were detained in various operations, including members of banned political organizations.
Press freedom concerns were higher, with 78 journalists faced harassment in 39 incidents, including physical assault, intimidation, and legal cases. At least 42 journalists were injured, 18 were humiliated, and one was detained.
The organisation called for independent investigations into all incidents and urged authorities to ensure accountability, rule of law, and stronger protection for human rights.
Without urgent reforms and effective enforcement of justice mechanisms, the situation could further deteriorate in the coming months, HRSS maintained.
