The country saw a spike in mob violence as at least 128 individuals lost their lives in 2024.
There is a clear rise in the number of deaths from 2020 to 2023, which was 150, according to data from the Law and Arbitration Centre.
Recently, the press wing of the chief adviser revealed that the police registered 1,415 complaints of minority attacks and acts of vandalism between August 4 and 20.
The police data shows that 98 percent of these incidents were found to be politically motivated, while only 1.59 percent had communal motives.
The latest high-profile case was the mob beating of former chief election commission (CEC) Nurul Huda on Sunday (June 22).
A group forcibly entered Nurul Huda's residence in Uttara and physically assaulted him, dragging him outside his house.
The citizens said the attack was not only illegal but also deeply alarming in a country that upholds the rule of law.
The words "mob", "mob justice", and "mob violence" have become buzzwords in the country since the 2024 mass July uprising. However, the incidents of mob violence are not new.
From ancient Greece and Rome to the French Revolution, history is full of examples of mobs rising.
French Anthropologist Gustave Le Bon, in his work on "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind", said individuals in a mob lose their sense of judgement and rationality."
Tawohidul Haque, associate professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research from Dhaka University, said that if the law enforcement agencies can enforce the law equally for everyone by playing an active and impartial role, only then these incidents can be brought under control.
The psychology behind mob violence
US-based Police Tactical Expert Charles Sid Heal has identified some psychological factors that entice people to participate in mob violence. The factors are - excitement about breaking the rules, long-suppressed anger, dominating intention, the belief that the violence is justified, fear of becoming a target, loss of identity in the group, and lack of knowledge on the causes and consequences of mob violence.
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