November saw 177 cases of violence against women and girls: HRSS
The rights group says rising assaults, political violence and worsening law and order deteriorated the country’s human rights situation in November
Human rights organisation Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) today (3 December) said in its November human rights monitoring report that 177 women and girls were subjected to abuse last month.
The organisation described violence against women and children as alarming while sharing the information in a press statement signed by its Executive Director Ijajul Islam.
Of the victims, 48 were raped, including 25 children. Thirteen victims suffered gang rape, and two were killed after rape. In total, 103 children were subjected to abuse, with 20 killed.
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The report also documented 96 political violence incidents in November, which left 12 dead and 874 injured.
HRSS said political unrest, intra-party conflict, weak law and order, and pressure on freedom of expression have intensified human rights concerns.
Violence linked to internal conflicts within the BNP accounted for the highest number of cases, with 42 incidents leaving 512 injured and 10 dead. Clashes involving the BNP and Awami League, BNP and Jamaat, and other political groups also left many injured. At least 20 people were shot, and more than a hundred houses, offices, and other establishments were vandalised, set on fire, or looted.
Election-related clashes also escalated. In 18 incidents recorded in November, 262 people were injured and two were killed. Two people were killed in nomination-related disputes in Chattogram and Mymensingh.
The report stated that attacks and harassment against journalists rose at a concerning rate. In 23 incidents, 36 journalists faced assault, threats, or legal cases; among them, 22 were injured and one was arrested.
It added that nine people were arrested and 27 accused in seven cases filed under the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025. Twenty people were killed in 20 incidents of mob violence and vigilante attacks. HRSS highlighted the killings of two men in Jatrabari and Narayanganj, where they were beaten to death on suspicion of theft.
Violence along the border left one Bangladeshi dead and four injured in firing by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in November. Meanwhile, the Arakan Army abducted 26 fishermen from the Bay of Bengal.
The report also recorded allegations of two deaths in the custody of law enforcement agencies and the death of one person who reportedly died while fleeing a police operation. Twelve inmates died in prisons during the same period.
It further said there were 25 incidents of violence against workers, in which four were killed, while 14 workers died in workplace accidents.
HRSS said a coordinated effort by political parties, civil society, and the public is now essential to uphold the rule of law, accountability, and human rights. It urged the government to take swift and effective measures to end deaths in custody, election-related violence, and interference with freedom of expression.
The November 2025 human rights monitoring report was prepared based on news published in 15 national media outlets and information collected by the HRSS.
