Iconus Clustus

#Bangladesh’s Persistent #Mob #Violence: What the Data Shows. According to data from the Human Rights Culture Foundation, 537 incidents of mob violence occurred in Bangladesh between January 1 and October 17 this year, resulting in 256 deaths and 575 injuries, compared to 428 incidents in 2025 and 169 in 2024. Data from Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), another human rights organisation, indicates that 171 people were killed in mob violence from January 1 to September 30 this year; the figures for 2024 and 2025 were 128 and 198, respectively. While methodologies for data collection and calculation may vary across different organizations, the data points to a similar scenario — mob violence has become a grave public security crisis for Bangladesh. And it is not stopping. Details: thediplomat.com/2026/10/bang… …

From Promising Freedom of Expression to Arresting One Critic Every Week: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Government Faces Growing Questions Over Its Commitment to Free Speech. Despite Prime Minister #TariqueRahman’s pre-election pledges to uphold citizens’ freedom of expression, particularly their right to criticise the government, his administration’s record since assuming office tells a very different story. Over the past eight months, at least 30 people have been arrested in #Bangladesh for criticising the #BNP government, the Prime Minister, his family members, ministers, or ruling party MPs. That amounts to approximately one arrest every week for speech critical of the government or the ruling party. The latest incident occurred on 25 October 2026, when Sathi Akhter, a small business owner in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, was arrested after expressing frustration over the deteriorating law-and-order situation and regret for voting for the BNP during a Facebook Live broadcast. According to a report by The Dacca, at least 50 people have been sued or arrested in connection with criticism of the BNP or its government since the party assumed power in February 2026. A closer examination of these cases reveals several disturbing patterns: 1. Ruling party activists frequently initiate complaints and facilitate illegal arrests: Cases are often lodged by leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organisations, including Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal. Of the 50 people arrested or sued since February over speech critical of the BNP or its government, at least 18 were the subject of complaints filed by BNP leaders or members of its affiliated organisations. In at least ten incidents, ruling party activists themselves apprehended the individuals concerned before handing them over to the police. 2. Unrelated criminal charges being used to detain government critics: Where the allegedly objectionable speech is difficult to prosecute as a criminal offence, the authorities appear to have resorted to alternative charges. In at least seven cases, individuals who criticised the Prime Minister on social media were reportedly picked up over their posts, only to be subsequently shown as arrested in older, unrelated cases involving allegations under the Anti-Terrorism Act or vandalism. 3. The actual scale of arrests linked to political expression is considerably broader: Importantly, these figures do not include the scores of individuals detained under the Anti-#Terrorism Act for expressing support for the #AwamiLeague or chanting political slogans such as Joy Bangla. Nor do they include arrests under the Cyber Security Act, 2026. According to the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), 61 people were arrested under the Cyber Security Act between March and August 2026, compared with just 17 during the corresponding period of the previous year. This represents an increase of approximately 259%. Although these arrests cannot all be categorised as cases involving criticism of the government, the sharp increase raises additional concerns about the use of criminal law to regulate expression. From Pre-Election Promises to Post-Election Repression Before the election, Tarique Rahman went so far as to share a cartoon depicting himself, apparently to demonstrate his willingness to tolerate criticism and encourage citizens to express their opinions freely. Eight months into his premiership, however, the emerging record presents a striking contradiction. Report: thedacca.com/one-arrest-a-we… … @hrw @amnestysasia @ESandersFCDO @StateDRL @article19org @Irenekhan @CIVICUSalliance

Bangladesh’s Mob Violence Crisis: Political Patronage, Police Inaction and the Absence of Accountability - @bbcbangla report. #Bangladesh continues to struggle with widespread #mob #violence. At times, allegations of blasphemy are weaponised to beat people to death. At other times, entire healthcare facilities are demolished to serve personal interests. From religiously motivated lynchings to violent attacks on public institutions and the destruction of private property, mob violence has become a deeply troubling feature of Bangladesh’s deteriorating law and order situation. The latest such incident occurred in Satkhira, where a young man named Shamim, who reportedly had longstanding mental health issues, was brutally beaten to death by a mob following allegations of #blasphemy circulated on social media. His family has alleged the involvement of local leaders and activists of #JamaatEIslami in what they described as a planned attack. Just days earlier, allegations emerged concerning the involvement of #BNP lawmaker Ferdousi Ahmed Mishti in the demolition of a healthcare facility providing free medical services in #Dhaka’s Mirpur. These are hardly isolated incidents. Successive episodes of mob violence have unfolded across the country, including at universities, government offices, the Secretariat and even court premises. According to #humanrights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 171 people were killed in mob violence between January and September 2026. For comparison, 128 people were killed in such incidents during the corresponding period in 2024, while the death toll was 198 in 2025. BNP, Jamaat and NCP Involvement Alleged Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this continuing violence is the alleged involvement of political leaders and activists associated with both the ruling party and opposition groups. In a BBC Bangla report, ASK Chief Executive Saidur Rahman identified two broad patterns of political involvement in mob violence. According to Rahman, incidents involving the destruction, occupation or forcible seizure of property frequently feature individuals associated with the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (#BNP). On the other hand, religiously motivated mob violence, particularly attacks targeting secular individuals and religious minorities, often involves individuals associated with Jamaat. Rahman also questioned the identity of groups operating under the banner of “Touhidi Jonota” (the religious masses), a label frequently associated with religiously motivated mob mobilisation. According to his assessment, individuals involved in such violence are often Jamaat activists and supporters operating under a supposedly non-partisan religious banner. He further alleged that some individuals associated with the National Citizen Party (#NCP) are also involved. These observations raise a particularly serious concern: mob violence is not merely a spontaneous breakdown of public order but, in some cases, appears to be facilitated or exploited by organised political interests. Government Promises, Police Inaction and Political Expediency Over the past eight months, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has repeatedly pledged to end Bangladesh's notorious “mob culture”. Yet those promises have not translated into meaningful improvements on the ground. According to Saidur Rahman, one major reason for the government's failure to confront the crisis is its reluctance to antagonise opposition political forces. Consequently, law enforcement agencies remain largely inactive, allowing perpetrators to operate with apparent impunity. Mob Rule Cannot Coexist With the Rule of Law The only effective way to reverse this destructive trend is to identify those responsible, arrest them, bring them before the courts and ensure accountability through lawful prosecution and punishment. … @amnestysasia @hrw @ESandersFCDO @OHCHRAsia @StateDRL @EURightsAgency @BonaveroIHR @UNODC

More than 15,000 #Bangladeshis in #prisons abroad; nearly half are in #SaudiArabia. Embassies offer little to no help, reveals a new @dailystarnews report. According to country-wise figures obtained by the Daily Star from the @BDMOFA, 15,213 Bangladeshis are being held in prisons abroad, with the highest number in Saudi Arabia, followed by #Malaysia and #India. Around 7,500 Bangladeshis are being held in prisons across Saudi Arabia, with 5,480 detainees in #Jeddah alone. While some are accused of serious criminal offences, others have been detained for immigration violations, including overstaying visas or lacking valid documents. Families of detainees allege that they struggle to obtain necessary assistance from the Bangladeshi diplomatic missions. One such example is the arrest of three brothers on trumped up charges of "protesting" in Saudi Arabia. They alleged that during the nine months in Saudi detention, they repeatedly sought help from the embassy, but was turned away every time. Questions over lack of adequate consular assistance have emerged following the execution of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia on October 14. A confidential memorandum from the Bangladesh mission in Jeddah revealed that the names of Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar were included in a prisoner list received on Sep 30, but it made no mention of their death sentences. It remains unclear whether the mission followed up on their legal status during the two weeks between receiving the list and their executions. Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRFB) has called for an independent review of the mission’s role, raising similar concerns about the lack of follow-up. The Bangladesh government now plans to make a database of its nationals in prisons abroad. But that is merely the first step, and so much more needs to be done. Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC's #Migration Programme, said that legal assistance and protection for detainees is the minimum duty of the missions. He added that those who are arrested on criminal charges (as opposed to mere immigration issues) should be assessed separately, with appropriate legal assistance, repatriation support, and post-return rehabiliation measures. Report: thedailystar.net/news/bangla… ...

Female Awami League leader Suma found slaughtered in #Keraniganj, as #Bangladesh continues to grapple with deadly levels of political #violence. A local leader of Jubo Mohila League, the female youth wing of #AwamiLeague, was found slaughtered in her flat in Keraniganj on the outskirts of #Dhaka on Friday morning. The victim, Dalia Akter Suma, 50, was the president of the Basta union unit of Jubo Mohila League under South Keraniganj Police Station. She used to teach at a local primary school on a part-time basis. Police recovered Suma’s mutilated, blood-stained body from her flat on the 2nd floor of Monwara Plaza in the Rasulpur Bazar area. News: dhakatribune.com/amp/banglad… ...

Former Jubo League leader dies in #Bogura under prison #custody; Family alleges #negligence in medical care. A former local-level Jubo League leader in Bogura, who was in prison, died while undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital on Thursday night. The deceased, 48 y/o Sohrab Hossain, was a former general secretary of the Dhunat municipal unit of Jubo League, Awami League's youth wing. He was detained since August 2. Sohrab’s family members alleged negligence in providing him with medical care while in custody. His wife alleged her husband had been suffering from long-standing illnesses but did not receive adequate medical attention in prison. She also claimed that negligence continued even after he was taken to hospital shortly before his death. News: newagebd.net/post/country/31… ...

#Bangladesh : Woman Detained for Criticising #BNP Government on Facebook Live. Is Criticising the Government Now a Punishable Offence? A female entrepreneur in Bhaluka, #Mymensingh, was detained on Sunday (25 October) after criticising the deteriorating law and order situation and the ruling #BNP during a Facebook Live broadcast. Sathi Akter, owner of Sathi Beauty Parlour, had reportedly suffered repeated thefts at her business establishments. Frustrated by the worsening security situation, she went live on Facebook to question the government's failure to maintain law and order. She also expressed regret over voting for the BNP. Her criticism apparently did not sit well with local BNP activists and supporters, who apprehended her and handed her over to the police. Think about the implications: A woman complains about repeated thefts at her businesses, questions the government's performance, and regrets her voting choice. Instead of addressing her grievances, political activists detain her and hand her over to law enforcement. Since when did criticising the government become a crime? And what legal authority do ruling-party activists have to apprehend citizens for expressing political opinions? Freedom of expression means little if citizens cannot criticise those in power without fear of retaliation. News: newagebd.net/post/politics/3… .... @Irenekhan @UN_SPExperts @OHCHRAsia @volker_turk @hrw @amnestysasia @ESandersFCDO @PearsonElaine @BonaveroIHR @CIVICUSalliance @meeganguly

BNP Activists Attack #CPB Office in #Dhaka's Purana Paltan; Two CPB Supporters Injured. The office of the Communist Party of #Bangladesh (CPB) in Dhaka's Purana Paltan came under attack on the night of 26 October by leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (#BNP) and its affiliated organisations, including Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal. According to CPB and its affiliated orgs, the attackers sought to justify their actions by branding the CPB and its supporters as allies of the #AwamiLeague. The attack left two members of Jubo Union, the CPB-affiliated youth organisation, injured. Police, rather than take action against the ruling party thugs, denied that an attack or injuries had occurred, and in fact detained two CPB supporters. Source: tbsnews.net/bangladesh/cpb-o… The incident is another disturbing example of the political intolerance and violence that have increasingly characterised Bangladesh's post August 2024 political landscape. Over the past two years, political parties outside the dominant right-wing political establishment have faced systematic intimidation, attacks, harassment and restrictions on their political activities. The Awami League has borne the brunt of this campaign. Party offices across the country, numbering in the hundreds, have been vandalised, torched, looted or forcibly occupied. Its leaders, activists and supporters have faced widespread arrests, criminal cases and political persecution. Nor has the violence been confined to the Awami League. The Jatiya Party (JP) has repeatedly faced attacks on its offices and political activities. The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) and the Workers Party of Bangladesh have also faced political intimidation, attacks, criminal cases and arbitrary detention. The latest attack on the CPB office demonstrates how the mere allegation of association with the Awami League can be weaponised to justify violence against another political organisation. An increasingly disturbing pattern is emerging: political participation appears to be tolerated only for parties belonging to the "right" of the political spectrum. Under the successive #Yunus and #Tarique-led administrations, the political space has been exclusively dominated by BNP, #JamaatEIslami and their allies, while parties outside this ideological spectrum face intimidation, restrictions and, in some cases, outright prohibition. The result is a deeply exclusionary political environment in which around half the population are effectively denied meaningful political representation. Freedom of association, peaceful assembly and political expression cannot be privileges reserved for parties acceptable to those in power. These are fundamental civil and political rights that must extend equally to all citizens, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations. A #democracy cannot function when one segment of the political spectrum enjoys the freedom to organise, campaign and contest political power while its opponents are silenced through legal restrictions, intimidation and violence. ... @Ginitastar @PearsonElaine @hrw @amnestysasia @AgnesCallamard @volker_turk @StateDRL @State_SCA @ESandersFCDO