239 Killed In Mob Violence In Bangladesh Since Yunus Took Over: Rights Group | India News

A leading human rights organization in Bangladesh has highlighted widespread rights violations across the country, including mob violence, extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody, minority persecution, killings as a result of political violence and suppression of press freedom, local media reported on Wednesday.

Dhaka-based Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) has revealed in its latest report that “mafia terrorism” will increase at an alarming rate throughout 2025.

According to the findings, mob violence caused 197 deaths from January to December, compared to 128 deaths last year.

The report stated that at least 293 people have been killed in mob violence since the interim government led by Mohammed Yunus took office in 2024.

“People were beaten and killed without any evidence, investigation or legal process, creating suspicions and rumors. In the name of Tawhid Janata, gangs were illegally formed to damage art and cultural centres, attack the Baul community and even burn bodies from graves. There were cases of harassment against people with opposing views, including freedom fighters,” Bangladeshi Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo quoted the rights organization as saying.

In many of these incidents, law enforcement failed to act and efforts to bring perpetrators to justice remained largely incomplete, according to the statement.

The report stated that at least 107 people, including 69 inmates and 38 convicts, died in various prisons across the country in 2025. Among prisons across the country, the highest number of deaths were recorded in Dhaka Central Prison with 38, followed by Gazipur with 7, while the remaining deaths occurred in other prisons across the country.

In addition, according to monitoring data of the ASK Information Protection Unit, at least 38 people died in extrajudicial killings in 2025.

The human rights organization said these deaths occurred in the custody of law enforcement, under torture, in the name of so-called ‘conflict’ or ‘armed conflict’ and reflect the ongoing human rights crisis.

ASK announced that between January and December 2025, Bangladesh witnessed at least 401 incidents of political violence, killing 102 people and injuring 4,744 people.

The report also stated that in the same period, at least 381 journalists were subjected to torture and harassment, 23 journalists were targeted by law enforcement forces, and 20 journalists received death threats.

Highlighting the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, especially Hindus, ASK documented numerous incidents of violence between January and December 2025, including attacks, intimidation, looting, arson and vandalism of idols.

The report states that this year alone, there were at least 42 attacks targeting Hindus, resulting in 33 houses being damaged, 36 houses being set on fire, four temples being attacked, 64 idols being vandalized and nine land grabbing incidents taking place.

Bangladesh has been grappling with increasing human rights violations and constant attacks on minorities, especially the Hindu community, during the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.