A total of 40 people have fallen victim to extrajudicial killings during the 14 months of the interim government that assumed office following the July Mass Uprising in 2024.
The highest number of such incidents occurred in September last year, with nine deaths, while 11 have taken place over the past three months.
These figures were presented in the latest report by the human rights organisation, Odhikar, which published its quarterly report on the country’s human rights situation on its website on Thursday.
The report also included consolidated data covering the full 14-month period of the interim government.
Odhikar’s calculation begins from 9 August 2024, four days after the fall of the Awami League government amid the student–public uprising.
During the Awami League’s 15 years in power, both domestic and international human rights organisations had been vocal about widespread allegations of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings.
Following the fall of that government, the interim administration was formed on 8 August, with Adilur Rahman Khan, Odhikar’s founder, serving as one of its advisers.
Adilur, who had been convicted under the controversial Information and Communication Technology Act during the Awami League government, was acquitted by a High Court verdict after the July Uprising.
According to Odhikar’s report, no incidents of extrajudicial killings occurred in August 2024 after the 9th of that month. In September, however, nine people were killed. One person each was killed in October, November and December.
The report further said that in January 2025, five people were killed, followed by three in February. One each was killed in March and April. In May, June, July, August and September, the number of victims of extrajudicial killings stood at four, three, six, three and two respectively.
Among these 40 victims, 19 were shot dead, 14 died from torture, and seven were beaten to death.
Between July and September this year, 11 people were killed in such incidents. Odhikar attributed responsibility for three incidents to the police, one to members of the armed forces, and seven to joint forces operations.
Odhikar’s statistics also indicate that over the same 14-month period, 153 people were killed in mob violence, with the highest number—18 incidents—occurring in September this year. In September last year, there were 17 such incidents. Over the past three months, 45 cases of mob killings were recorded.
The organisation documented 7,979 incidents of political violence during the interim government’s tenure. The highest number was recorded in March this year (944 incidents), followed by 862 incidents in September last year, 500 in August 2024 (9–31 August), and 798 in April 2025. In June, July and August this year, the figures were 489, 579 and 658 respectively, before dropping to 300 incidents in September.
During these 14 months, 281 people were killed in political violence, the highest number being 44 in March this year, followed by 33 deaths in the 23 days of August last year.
According to Odhikar’s data, 242 attacks on journalists were recorded during this period, with the highest number—34 incidents—occurring in September this year. In addition, there were 30 attacks in March, 28 in May, 26 in August, and 25 in February.