Killed by mob violence: Only 1.27pc accused arrested

A man named Md Israfil was beaten to death after being dragged from his house on charges of stealing a mobile phone and cash in Jangalia village of Mohammadpur upazila in Magura. Following the incident on 16 September, the victim’s brother, Abid Hossain, filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station, accusing 28 people. However, none of the accused have been arrested.

Speaking on the matter, Mohammadpur police station inspector Abul Khayer told Prothom Alo, “This case is sensitive and complex. We are investigating to identify the people involved, but haven’t got the post mortem report yet. We will arrest the people involved once we identify them.”

Prothom Alo has collected data on 67 deaths in 46 mob violence incidents over the past 13 months and found that the rate of arrest in these cases is negligible. Of the 46 incidents, cases were filed in 36, while no cases were filed in 10.

In the incidents where cases were filed, there were over 9,000 accused, including unidentified individuals. Among these, 114 people were arrested in 27 cases, resulting in an arrest rate of 1.27 per cent. Charges have been filed in six cases.

Prothom Alo collected data on mob violence killings in September last year, with the information updated in the last week of the previous month. Three Prothom Alo correspondents in Dhaka, along with staff correspondent and correspondents in 26 districts, were involved in this work. It was found that no accused were arrested in nine of the cases.

The country witnessed incidents of mob violence one after another following the July mass uprising. According to the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), some 220 people were killed in mob violence in the last 13 months from August last year.

There is no scope for beating a person to death even if the person is a criminal as per the law of the country. Those who take the law into their own hands are also criminals.

However, it has been observed that police are often slow to act in cases of mob violence killings. Although the government has taken a firm verbal stance, it has been unable to prevent such incidents on the ground. In such a situation, three people were beaten to death on suspicion of theft around 2:00 am last Saturday in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha.

Prothom Alo collected data on mob violence killings in September last year, with the information updated in the last week of the previous month. Three Prothom Alo correspondents in Dhaka, along with staff correspondent and correspondents in 26 districts, were involved in this work. It was found that no accused were arrested in nine of the cases.

The country witnessed incidents of mob violence one after another following the July mass uprising. According to the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), some 220 people were killed in mob violence in the last 13 months from August last year.

There is no scope for beating a person to death even if the person is a criminal as per the law of the country. Those who take the law into their own hands are also criminals. However, it has been observed that police are often slow to act in cases of mob violence killings. Although the government has taken a firm verbal stance, it has been unable to prevent such incidents on the ground. In such a situation, three people were beaten to death on suspicion of theft around 2:00 am last Saturday in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha.

Law adviser Asif Nazrul told journalists in August that the government has two major failures: mob violence and filing arbitrary cases. He added that the problem in curbing mob violence was that the police lacked moral standing.

When the police, who had opposed the July mass uprising, saw certain groups engaging in mob violence claiming to represent the uprising’s demands, they were unable to take action.

According to the United Nations’ global declaration on human rights, "Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him"

After the July mass uprising, the issue of mob violence came into discussion. However, human rights activists say that it delivers no justice, as the roles of witness, judge, and punisher are all taken by a lawless crowd. Article 27 of the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees everyone the right to equal protection under the law, even if they are accused of a crime.

The analysis by Prothom Alo shows that in cases of mob violence that received public attention, law enforcement was more active. In incidents that went largely unnoticed, arrests and investigative progress have been minimal.

For instance, on the night of 9 August in Botola area of Sayar Union, Taraganj Upazila, Rangpur, two men, Ruplal Rabidas and Pradip Lal, were beaten to death on suspicion of stealing a van. When videos of the incident circulated on social media, it sparked widespread reaction. In the case filed over this incident, police have so far reported the arrest of eight individuals.

On 21 January in Haripur Upazila, Thakurgaon, a young man named Rubel Islam, 32, was beaten to death over allegations of theft. Police reported that a case was filed naming 100–200 unidentified individuals as accused, but no one has been arrested.

In some unreported incidents, no case is filed, often because families fear retaliation. For example, in Companyganj, Noakhali, the killing of Awami League youth leader Abdul Kader Milon, 35, last April did not lead his family to file a case.

Fouzul Azim, officer-in-charge of companyganj police station, told Prothom Alo at the end of September that authorities had contacted Abdul Kader’s family about filing a case, but they refused.

Abdul Kader’s wife, Zolekha Begum, told Prothom Alo, “If we file a case, we would have to mention names. That would create enemies.”

Of the 67 deaths analysed by Prothom Alo, at least four involved individuals with mental disabilities and two were teenagers. Among them, on 18 September last year, Tofazzal Hossain, a “mentally disabled” individual, was beaten to death on suspicion of theft at the residence of Fazlul Haq Muslim Hall at Dhaka University. He was fed until his stomach was full, before being beaten to death.

The incident at Dhaka University sparked widespread discussion. The university authorities later filed a case, and police submitted a charge sheet naming 21 people as accused. Six of them have been arrested and are currently in prison.

Meanwhile, on 21 August in Fatikchhari, Chattogram, a 15-year-old boy named Rihan Mahin was killed on suspicion of theft. Due to a previous grudge, three children were accused of theft, creating a chaotic situation. They were held for four hours and beaten, and Mahin died from the abuse.

Mahin’s mother, Khadija Begum, told Prothom Alo that her son was not a thief. She said that after hearing about the beating, she went there and repeatedly pleaded with them, but they still beat Mahin to death. She added, “Mahin asked for a little water, but they did not even give him that.”

On the morning of 3 July in Koraibari village, Muradnagar Upazila, Comilla, Roksana Begum, also known as Ruby, 53, her son Russel Mia, 35, and her daughter Taspia Akter, also known as Jonaki, 29, were brutally hacked and beaten to death by a mob. Another daughter, Ruma Akter, 27, was seriously injured. Before the mob attack, the victims were accused of drug trafficking.

In connection with the killings, on the night of 4 July, Roksana Begum’s eldest daughter, Rikta Akter, filed a case at the police station naming 38 people and 20–25 unidentified individuals as accused. Following the filing of the case, members of the army, RAB, police, and DB have so far arrested ten individuals. However, the main accused, Chairman Shimul Billah, remains at large.

Commenting on the series of mob violence incidents that have caused numerous deaths in the country, spokesperson of the Police Headquarters and assistant inspector general (AIG) EHM Shahadat Hossain told Prothom Alo that in many cases, attacks by unruly crowds occur as a reaction to rumours, misinformation, or sudden triggers. In such incidents, police often face challenges while trying to control the situation quickly. Yet, he added, the presence and intervention of police has prevented many deaths.

Regarding the arrest of those involved, Shahadat Hossain said that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend individuals involved in mob beatings. Often, crowds disperse suddenly, or collecting evidence becomes complicated, which can delay the identification of perpetrators. However, no case is beyond investigation.

On mob violence, chief public prosecutor (PP) of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, Omar Faruq Faruqui, explained to Prothom Alo that following the fall of the Awami League government after the mass uprising, many people became agitated out of anger, leading some to act irrationally. He added that due to the efforts of the government and law enforcement agencies, the situation has largely been brought under control. Often, old rivalries and personal interests lie behind mob violence. For instance, on 4 March in the Bashundhara residential area of Dhaka, an unruly crowd beat two Iranian nationals, labelling them as thieves. Both were injured and taken to hospital by police. According to police, the two Iranians were not thieves; they had been involved in a dispute over foreign currency exchange rates. At some point, the crowd attacked them, falsely branding them as robbers.

Another widely discussed incident in Dhaka was the killing of businessman Lal Chand in Puran Dhaka. On 9 July this year, a group of people killed him in public on a busy road in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital. He was beaten and struck with pieces of bricks and stones, crushing various parts of his head and body. At one point, he was stripped.

Police say the killing was driven by a business dispute. So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Human rights activist and senior Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain told Prothom Alo that mob violence has always occurred in the country. Recently, such incidents have been happening repeatedly, exacerbated by specific circumstances and weaknesses in police response. She said that while many cases have been filed and some accused arrested, it is necessary to bring all incidents and cases under central monitoring. She added, “Without justice, wrongdoing continues. A precedent must be set that no one can escape punishment, regardless of their party, group, or religion.”

Sara Hossain also believes that the state has a responsibility to rehabilitate victims’ families. However, there is little precedent for the state taking such responsibility. In the case of Rupalal Robidas’s killing in Taraganj, Rangpur, his family lost their only earning member. As a result, Rupalal’s son, the teenager Joy Robidas, had to abandon his studies and take up his father’s shoemaking work. He is a ninth-grade student at Taraganj Government Model High School.

Following media coverage, two anonymous individuals took responsibility for supporting Joy and his younger sister’s education. Scholarships are also being provided through the Department of Social Services. The problem remains that, despite educational support, Joy still has to work in Taraganj market two days a week to help run the household. Joy told Prothom Alo, “There is no choice. My father was our only earning member. Now I have to support my mother, grandmother, and two sisters.”