Rising mob violence deepens security concerns

A series of recent incidents in Dhaka-including the attack and looting of the Radda MCH-FP health centre in Mirpur, the vandalism and looting of a housing project and a content creator’s studio in ECB Chattar, an alleged attempt to occupy a house in Adabor, and, most recently, an intrusion and assault at a JASAD office-has raised fresh concerns over public safety and the growing tendency to take the law into one’s own hands.

According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 154 people were killed in mob violence between January and August this year. Dhaka division recorded the highest number of deaths at 57, followed by Chattogram with 34, Khulna 20, Rajshahi 15, Barishal 11, Mymensingh 11 and Rangpur six.

Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), however, reported 178 deaths and 369 injuries from mob violence during the same period.

In the early hours of Friday, around 200 masked people allegedly entered the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1, according to officials and local residents.

The attackers allegedly held two security guards hostage before using heavy equipment and an excavator to demolish parts of the health centre. Medicines, vaccines, medical equipment and other materials were also allegedly looted. The institution estimated its losses at around Tk1.5 crore.

DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, who visited the spot, said preventing such attacks was the responsibility of the police. A three-member committee has been formed to investigate possible police negligence, and action would be taken if any negligence is established, he said.

Authorities later said the officer-in-charge of Shah Ali Police Station had been withdrawn and nine people arrested. Police, however, have yet to establish who was behind the attack.

Two days later, in the early hours of Sunday, 150 to 200 people allegedly attacked, vandalised and looted a housing project in the ECB Chattar area of the Cantonment. The studio of content creator Salman Muqtadir was also vandalised.

The housing project authorities claimed that property worth around Tk50 crore was looted. The incident, which involved gunfire and attacks, triggered panic in the area.

DMP Joint Commissioner Md Mahidul Islam visited the site and said the incident might have been linked to an attempt to occupy land. Three people-Mamun, Aslam and Munna-were arrested, and police were questioning them to determine the motive.

Meanwhile, around 6:30am on Saturday, a group of 15 to 20 people allegedly armed with machetes, cleavers and pistols attacked a house in Adabor, reportedly in an attempt to occupy the eight-storey building in Shyamoli Housing.

Adabor Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zahidul Islam said police visited the house after the incident and were investigating the matter.

Residents in the areas where the incidents occurred alleged that vandalism through mob actions had increased in different places since August 5. They said it would be difficult for large groups to organise such attacks without the backing of influential individuals or political groups, while a lack of justice could encourage similar incidents.

Law and human rights professionals said mob violence is not merely a law-and-order issue but also affects the rule of law and public safety.

Senior journalist Parvez Khan, who has covered crime for four decades, said the impact of mob attacks extends beyond the individuals or institutions directly targeted.

"Once such an incident occurs in an area, nearby residents also become concerned about their safety," he said, adding that panic can intensify when incomplete or unverified information spreads rapidly on social media.

Dr Md Omar Faruk, a professor in the Department of Criminology and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, said large-scale attacks, vandalism and looting were not merely criminal offences but also raised questions about law enforcement capacity.

"If several hundred people can enter an area and carry out attacks for a prolonged period, it is natural for residents to feel insecure," he said, stressing the need to identify not only the attackers but also those who planned and financed such operations.

Human rights activist and Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation (BHRF) chairperson Advocate Alena Khan said forming a mob to punish someone or attacking an institution was contrary to the rule of law.

She called for impartial investigations and speedy legal action, warning that failure to bring perpetrators to justice could encourage others to adopt similar methods.

The latest incident occurred at a JASAD office, where the party said an organisational meeting was underway with around 500 leaders and activists, including 30 women.

According to a JASAD statement, around 500 Jubo Dal leaders and activists intruded into the office in the presence of police, created a mob-like situation and physically assaulted JASAD leaders and activists.
The party said the meeting was part of its own organisational activities.

The incidents have thus raised a broader concern over whether disputes, allegations and political differences will be settled through established legal processes or increasingly through organised groups and mob action.