Govt promises stern action against mob violence, but reality shows opposite
The mob incident involving ex-CEC Huda has sparked criticism, raising questions against ‘the government’s inaction’.
Hours after the BNP filed a case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, three former chief election commissioners (CECs), and others for alleged involvement in controversial national elections, a mob broke into the home of former CEC KM Nurul Huda on Sunday evening (22 June).
The incident, captured in a viral video, shows Huda, dressed in a lungi and white T-shirt, being dragged from his building, slapped multiple times with shoes, and forced to wear a shoe-garland around his neck.
Uttara Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said on Sunday night that they swiftly took the former CEC into their custody for his safety and handed him over to the Detective Branch (DB).
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However, the DMP headquarters, in a press release issued yesterday, skipped mentioning the mob incident involving the former CEC. It only said they launched a special drive to nab Huda.
Soon after the mob incident, the interim government announced that legal action would be taken against those who created a mob to detain the former CEC.
In a statement posted in the Chief Adviser's Facebook page late Sunday night, the government said Huda was arrested by Uttara police in connection with a specific case. "However, the government expressed concern over the chaotic situation created by the mob during the arrest and the reported physical assault on the accused."
The statement reads, "Physically assaulting an accused person is illegal, violates the rule of law, and constitutes a criminal offence."
Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to identify those responsible for inciting unrest and take appropriate action, said the government.
Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury yesterday said, "Mob justice is in no way acceptable. What happened to him [Huda], meaning that this and that was put around his neck, is in no way acceptable."
He added, "It was seen there that he was being attacked right in front of the law enforcement agencies. An investigation committee will be formed for this. We will investigate who is involved. If anyone from the law enforcement agencies is involved in this, we will also take legal action against them."
Various quarters, including the BNP, criticised the mob incident involving Huda.
Despite repeated calls by TBS, Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Uttara Division Deputy Commissioner Mahidul Islam could not be reached for comments.
Uttara West police station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman told TBS the people involved in the mob incidents have already been identified.
'Govt's inactions' questioned
Rights organisations and activists have expressed frustration, stating that despite repeated incidents of mob violence, they do not see visible government action against the culprits.
The Human Rights Forum Bangladesh yesterday expressed deep concern and strong condemnation regarding the mob attack and harassment of the former CEC Huda.
It said the organisation firmly believes that any humiliating and violent behaviour occurring outside of the judicial system is not only a violation of individual rights but also a punishable crime under existing laws.
The Forum finds the interim government's immediate statement regarding the incident inadequate and lacking in responsible behaviour.
It demanded that the government clearly disclose to the public what legal actions have been taken against those responsible for the incident.
In a press release yesterday, the law and human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) expressed alarm over the rising trend of public vigilantism, calling it a dangerous precedent that undermines justice, "replacing law with mob rule".
ASK challenged authorities, warning that silence or inaction might imply complicity. It mentions that the citizens' rights to safety and due process are guaranteed under Articles 31-32 of the constitution.
It mentions that between January and June 2025 alone, at least 83 people were killed in similar incidents of violence at the hands of unruly mobs – a stark indicator of deepening lawlessness in what is supposed to be a civilised state.
"While the army has issued one or two warnings, the government has yet to take any effective or decisive action against such organised violence. On the contrary, the apparent silence and inaction of the relevant authorities seem to be indirectly emboldening these violent groups," said the organisation.
ASK urged the government to take swift, preventive steps to stop such incidents from recurring, stressing the need to safeguard public confidence in legal institutions and curb "cultures of violence".
Human rights organiser Noor Khan Liton said he believes the government cannot evade responsibility for the long-standing trend of mob violence.
