On August 15, Salman F. Rahman, adviser to former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, and Anisul Haque, former law minister were arrested in Dhaka and taken first into the custody of the Detective Branch (DB) and then, to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court. The duo were attacked at the court premises by an angry mob that included lawyers of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other parties. The main assault was carried out by Injamul Haq Suman, a lawyer and member of the Dhaka Metropolitan Jubo Dal, a wing of the BNP, who hurled eggs at Rahman and Haque.
The incident highlights the practice of vigilante justice in post-Hasina Bangladesh.
A few days later, Dr. Dipu Moni, former minister of social welfare, was arrested in a murder case. Moni, along with Arif Khan Joy, the former deputy sports minister, were attacked by a group of people including lawyers when they were being taken to court for a remand hearing. Although the two were being escorted by police and despite the large number of police on the court premises, people were able to land blows on them.
According to a report in the Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo, a lawyer struck Joy on the neck as he was being escorted to the courthouse. The newspaper has published a photo capturing the exact moment of the attack.
Then on August 24, former Supreme Court Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik was hospitalized after he was attacked at the Sylhet court premises. Manik captured attention during the recent unrest when he called the host of a television talk show a “child of razaakar,” (people who collaborated with Pakistan during the 1971 liberation war) after the program. The video went viral, earning Manik a lot of hatred on social media. The Business Standard reported that pro-BNP lawyers and others at the court premises punched Manik, and hurled eggs and shoes at him. The beating caused internal bleeding. The former justice had been detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh while he was allegedly trying to cross over to India on the night of August 23.
Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, has pointed out that the approach of detaining the former powerful personalities seems to be “charge first, prove later.”
Hasina has been slapped with “numerous murder charges, which are starting to seem like a witch hunt,” he wrote in a recent article. Instead of focusing on a few well-supported cases, an increasing number of cases are being filed against not only the former PM but also AL leaders, judges, scholars, and politicians like Rashed Khan Menon. Some cases list dozens of individuals without concrete evidence, leading to arbitrary arrests. This misuse of the legal system risks undermining public trust in the legal process and the current administration.”
A month ago, these individuals were among the most powerful figures in the country, thanks to the Awami League’s 15-year rule that was characterized by autocracy, corruption, and human rights abuses, and marked by three farcical elections. From 2008 to 2024, the people of Bangladesh witnessed a gradual erosion of their free speech rights and human rights. The judiciary and law enforcement were allegedly co-opted by AL loyalists, including judges and lawyers. Fabricated cases were slapped on BNP leaders and activists. Reports indicate that over 20,000 BNP activists were arrested between October and December 2023 alone. Additionally, at least 15 BNP members died in custody in the run-up to and after the October 28 rally at Naya Paltan in Dhaka. Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about over 600 enforced disappearances since 2009.
The Hasina government’s crackdown on protestors during the recent unrest resulted in the death of nearly 400 people, including students and children, and injury to thousands between July 17 and August 4. What were protests opposing quotas in jobs became a mass uprising demanding Hasina’s resignation.
On August 5, when Hasina resigned and fled to India, leaving behind hundreds of MPs, ministers, and thousands of party leaders and activists, the latter faced the wrath of an enraged populace and, allegedly, of opposition activists. Many AL leaders were killed. The Bangladesh Police Force collapsed and at least 44 officers were killed and many police stations were vandalized and burned.
Public anger over atrocities committed during AL rule is boiling over, with some individuals taking the law into their own hands. Many in Bangladesh seem indifferent to this vigilantism, with some even justifying the vigilante violence. They argue that those responsible for atrocities in the past are finally facing the consequences of their actions.
This is a deeply concerning development. While accountability is necessary, it is alarming when ordinary citizens, opposition activists and particularly lawyers, resort to vigilante justice, attacking the accused within court premises. Furthermore, there are complaints of people being arrested and charged with random crimes.
Two former journalists Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa of Ekattor TV, known for its biased reporting, were arrested at the airport, handed over to the police, and charged with murder. They were placed on a four-day remand, despite their names not being listed in the original FIR and only later added as “unknown” suspects — a troubling practice that allows police to add names at will during investigations.
Ahmed and Rupa supported the AL regime, but they didn’t violate any specific laws. The proper response would be to critique their journalism and expose their bias, not to imprison them without clear legal charges.
The students who demanded Hasina’s resignation aimed to reform the country after liberating it from autocracy. Although the autocrat has gone, recent events suggest that oppression lingers.
Particularly worrying is the violence by some lawyers. It signals a troubling deviation from their professional responsibilities and ethical obligations. Lawyers are expected to uphold the rule of law, maintain decorum, and ensure that justice is served impartially. Their involvement in physical assaults, especially within court premises, not only undermines the legal system but also erodes public trust in the judiciary.
Lawyers play an important role in the delivery of justice. They are supposed to be advocates for justice, not perpetrators of violence. Their vigilantism is shaking the very foundation of the legal system.
Bangladeshis want a reform of the system. However, the recent incidents of violence within court premises and the troubling actions of the judiciary and law enforcement suggest that Bangladesh risks sliding back into the cycle of authoritarianism.
The interim government has been tasked with stabilizing the country. However, it has failed to assert its authority and maintain order. It is being criticized for failing to halt the outbursts of vigilante justice. This is raising questions about their capacity to govern.