HC asks why authorities failed to control mob lynching

The High Court (HC) on Monday asked the government to explain why it has failed to control mob lynchings.

The HC bench of Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury and Md Ashraful Kamal asked the home secretary and the inspector general of police to report to it by November 28 on what action has been taken against the mob-lynchers.

"No person shall be deprived of life, says the law. And it is our constitutional right too," Advocate Ishrat Hasan told The Business Standard.

"Today the court asked the concerned authorities to submit a report about their action against mob lynching."

Earlier, on July 28, Ishrat filed a writ petition at the HC seeking Tk 5 crore compensation for the family of Taslima Begum Renu. A mob at the capital's Badda area lynched Taslima, on July 20, suspecting her to be a kidnapper. 

The secretaries of the cabinet, the ministries of law, information and home; the inspector general of police, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner and the officer-in-charge of Badda police station were made respondents in the writ petition.

At least 36 people were killed in mob violence in the first six months of this year, according to Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK).

At least 175 people were killed in mob beatings in the last four and a half years. Of them, 51 people were killed in 2016, 50 in 2017, and 39 in 2018.

The country witnesses six mob lynching every month, on average, says ASK. The legal aid and human rights organization also singled out Dhaka division as the place where most mob beatings occur.