Political and mob violence increased significantly across Bangladesh in June, accompanied by a sharp rise in mass arrests, recovered unidentified bodies and cross-border push-ins, indicating a deterioration in the country's overall human rights situation, according to a report released by the Human Rights Foundation (MSF) on Tuesday.
The organisation, in its May�"June 2026 Human Rights Monitoring Report, said the overall human rights situation "deteriorated significantly" in June, reflecting weaknesses in the rule of law and the country's human rights protection system.
According to the report, deaths from mob violence remained almost unchanged, rising from 32 in May to 33 in June, but the number of injured increased by 77 per cent, from 71 to 126, suggesting a growing tendency among people to take the law into their own hands.
Political violence also intensified during the month. The number of people injured rose from 193 in May to 303 in June, while deaths increased from three to seven. The report also highlighted a more than sevenfold increase in arrests in cases filed after the 2024 change of government, with the number of arrests jumping from 65 in May to 473 in June. MSF said the trend raised concerns about possible politically motivated actions and the impartiality of the judicial process.
The organisation expressed concern over confrontations involving law enforcement agencies, reporting the first custodial death of the year in June, while prison deaths increased from seven to nine.
Recovered bodies also rose by 22 per cent, from 53 in May to 65 in June. Among the victims were 52 men and 12 women, with the largest age group being 31 to 40 years.
Referring to the recovery of three bodies from the Turag River on June 24 and 26, the report said some Awami League-linked Facebook accounts claimed the victims were party leaders and activists who had gone missing after an attack on a procession marking the party's founding anniversary. Police, however, dismissed the claims as "completely baseless" rumours.
MSF also reported a sharp increase in alleged push-ins from India, saying 423 people were pushed into Bangladesh in June, compared with none in May.
The report further documented one custodial death, injuries to 10 people in an attack on a shrine in Chandpur and assaults on 19 journalists working in print and electronic media.
MSF called on the government to strengthen the rule of law, ensure accountability, safeguard judicial independence and take effective measures to protect human rights.
