187 killed in mob violence in Jan-Sep: HRSS

At least 187 people were killed in 398 incidents of mob violence during the nine months between January and September, said the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) in a report on Monday.

About 401 other people were injured in the incidents of violence that was inflicted over different allegations including stealing, robbery, religious defamation, rape and attempted rape.

Over the same nine-month period, 1,013 incidents of political violence took place, with the ruling BNP accounting for the biggest share of violence. Almost 91% of the violence can be attributed to BNP’s internal feud and fights with other political forces.

Among the 73 deaths from political violence, BNP accounts for 63% fatalities. In total, 6,473 people were injured in all the incidents of political violence combined, including 941, who were injured in BNP’s internal conflicts.

As many as 518 journalists faced repression and harassment, including 297 confirmed cases of injuries, in 288 incidents during January-September. Under the Cyber Protection Act, 2026, 19 lawsuits were filed against over 50 journalists.

The Cyber Protection Ordinance and Cyber Protection Act were used to file 40 cases alleging 113 individuals, 55 of whom were arrested.

Furthermore, 95 prison inmates, including 40 convicts and 55 pre-trial detainees, died at jails. Separately, 12 died allegedly as a result of repression under law enforcement custody, and five accused were killed in shooting and gunfight incidents.

Ten others died falling from buildings or drowning after fleeing a chase by law enforcers, HRSS said.

Over the same nine-month period, 62 members of minority communities were injured, and 21 Hindu temples were vandalised in 56 attacks.

Along the India-Bangladesh border, 13 Bangladeshis were killed and 39 were injured in attacks by BSF.

During January-September, 2,404 women and girl children suffered violence. Among them, 657 were raped including 392 minors, who account for 60% of the total rape cases. Noting alarm, HRSS said that 130 women and minor girls suffered gang rapes, among whom 29 were killed after the sexual assault.

HRSS also said that 1,810 children suffered abuses, including 494 children who died.