Over 637 people have been killed in mob lynching incidents in Bangladesh since August 2024, says a Canadian report. The violence surged after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, driven by political chaos, media censorship, and rising misinformation, with minorities and former ruling party members among key victims.
Bangladesh is facing a deadly surge in mob lynching incidents, with over 637 people killed including 41 police officers between August 2024 and July 2025, according to a new report by the Canada-based Global Center for Democratic Governance. The report marks this period as one of the deadliest waves of extrajudicial killings in the country’s recent history, unfolding amid a turbulent political transition following the ouster of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
In stark contrast to previous years, the report states that 51 lynching-related deaths were recorded in 2023 under Hasina’s administration, making the current figure over 12 times higher. The surge in violence is attributed to a breakdown in law and order following the political uprising and the rise of vigilante justice.
The report highlighted two of the deadliest single-day events in the last year. On August 4, 2024, 24 individuals were burned alive at ‘The Zabeer Jashore Hotel’ in Jashore. Later that month, on August 25, another 182 people died after being set ablaze at Gaji Tyres in Rupganj, Narayanganj. Despite the shocking scale of violence, details of the victims have not been published, owing to what the report describes as “strong media censorship” in the country.
“The sharp increase underscores a dangerous erosion of law and order during a period of political instability and weakened state control,” said the Global Center for Democratic Governance. “The fall of a longstanding regime created both a power vacuum and a public crisis of confidence in the justice system.”
The report emphasized that Bangladesh’s institutions — including the police, judiciary, and local governance structures — have become paralyzed or politically compromised. With law enforcement overstretched, many citizens have resorted to taking justice into their own hands, often based on rumors, suspicions, or politically motivated misinformation.
Public spaces, once seen as secure under law enforcement presence, have now become breeding grounds for mob violence. Many of the incidents reportedly stem from allegations of theft, sexual harassment, or blasphemy. Political and communal tensions have also played a critical role in fueling the unrest.
Human rights organizations in Bangladesh report that more than 70 percent of the victims had ties to the former ruling party, the Awami League, or its affiliated student and labor wings. Minorities have also come under attack, with Hindus and Ahmadiyya Muslims being common targets. These communities are frequently accused of blasphemy or conspiracies via social media, often without credible evidence.
One of the most harrowing incidents occurred on July 9, 2025, when Hindu social worker Lal Chand Sohag was lynched outside Mitford Hospital. The killing was livestreamed on social media, triggering national outrage. It was later revealed that the attack was provoked by a false Facebook post accusing him of desecrating a religious text. Though the claim was quickly debunked, the incident had already led to fatalities and arson.
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, had pledged to crack down on vigilante violence. However, critics argue that the administration has done little to curb the wave of killings. Few arrests have been made, and even fewer convictions secured. Observers believe the government has prioritized consolidating political control over restoring judicial order.
“The Yunus-led government appears more focused on purging remnants of the old regime than reestablishing law and justice,” said a Dhaka-based political analyst. “This has led to a vacuum of accountability that emboldens mob behavior.”
A recent survey by the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) adds to the grim picture. It found that 71 percent of Bangladeshi youth believe mob violence has become normalized, and 47 percent fear they could be the next target of politically motivated attacks.
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The Global Center for Democratic Governance warned that unless sweeping reforms are introduced — including police restructuring, judicial independence, stronger regulation of digital misinformation, and civic education mob lynching may become a lasting feature of Bangladesh’s political and social landscape.
