Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has strongly condemned the mob lynching of two Hindu men in Rangpur as a grave violation of human rights.
The incident that occurred in Rangpur’s Taraganj Upazila on August 9 is deeply concerning, said ASK, urging the interim government to take legal action against those involved, ensure strict accountability for any group or individual involved in such instigated violence, and provide adequate compensation and protection for the victims’ families.
ASK’s own records show that between January and 10 August 2025, at least 111 people have been killed in mob violence in Bangladesh. The government, led by civil society leader Muhammad Yunus, claims that the police are not confident in tackling mob killings due to the massacre of police personnel in the July-August anarchy last year.
However, the mass arrests of over 4,00,000 Awami League members and supporters and the filing of over 2,00,000 cases during the last year give a different view.
According to media reports, on August 9, Ruplal Das, 40, a shoemaker from Ghanirampur area of Taraganj, and his relative Pradip Das, 35, a van driver from Mithapukur Upazila, were beaten to death by locals on suspicion of stealing a van.
The ASK stressed that taking the law into one’s own hands and committing murder is a clear breach of the rule of law and human rights, according to The Business Standard.
“Articles 31 and 32 of the Constitution guarantee every citizen’s legal protection and right to life, which were gravely violated in this incident. It also constitutes a serious infringement on the right to life and security under international human rights law,” reads the statement.
The organisation said mob killings continue to occur across the country, creating deep concern and insecurity among citizens. This culture of impunity poses a serious threat to social harmony and the rule of law, it added.
The media outlets of Bangladesh, which have been under tremendous pressure due to mob violence and job cuts, have also become vocal on the incident.
Vernacular daily, the Prothom Alo has given extensive coverage of the incident.
According to police and eyewitnesses, Ruplal Das was in talks to marry off his daughter to a young man from the Shyampur area of Mithapukur. The wedding date was supposed to be fixed for Sunday. For this, Pradip Das drove his van from Mithapukur to Ruplal Das’ house.
Yunus-aide TIB concerned over rising corruption, mob violence
Yunus regimeโs mob rule against Awami League is terrorising ordinary people
But not knowing the way through the village, Pradip Das came to the Kazirhat area of Soyar Union and called Ruplal Das, who went there to receive his relative. The two boarded the van and headed towards Ruplal Dasโ house in Ghanirampur village. When they reached the Battala area of the Taraganj-Kazirhat road around 9pm, some locals stopped them on suspicion of van theft. After that, people started gathering there.
The family, police, and eyewitnesses also learned that on July 28, a child was killed in that area, and a van was stolen. The locals were angry about the incident.
At one stage of questioning the duo, local people took out four small plastic bottles from the sack in Pradip Das’ van. The bottles contained local liquor.
When they opened one of the bottles, two people there felt sick due to the smell of the liquid inside. The suspicion of the people increased further in this incident. They thought that the liquid could have been used to make the child unconscious while stealing the van.
Videos of brutal murders expose mobocracy under Yunus regime
JMBF deeply concerned over Yunusโ indifference to ending mob violence
The mob beat the duo severely and brought them to the Burirhat High School grounds. At one stage, they were left there when they lost consciousness. Around 11pm, the police rescued them and took them to the Taraganj Upazila Health Complex, where Ruplal Das was declared dead.
Pradip Das was admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, and he died on Sunday morning.
Lalicha Das, the mother of Ruplal Das, said everyone in Taraganj knows him. He did not harm anyone.
Unruly mob
A video of the torture has gone viral on social media.
Ruplal Das and Pradip Lal Das had joined hands and pleaded to be saved from death. But the people present there did not give up. They were beaten to death on suspicion of being thieves.
The video shows that some locals captured Ruplal and Pradeep along with a van. They took out a plastic bag from their van and asked them to identify themselves. At one stage, when some agitated people tried to beat them, a young man named Mehedi Hasan stopped them and told them to inform the police.
Then Ruplal Das said: โI am neither a thief nor a robber. I am a cobbler and sew shoes in Taraganj market.โ However, another person said loudly, โYou are the father of thieves and robbers.โ
After that, when Ruplal Das wanted to urinate, the excited people thought that he would run away, so they did not let him go. After a while, he fell to the ground. At that time, Pradip Das was sitting on top of the van. The people there said that Ruplal Das had been drunk and was acting.
The video also shows a young man taking out a plastic bottle from a sack in the van and holding it to his nose. After a while, he said: โBrother, please hold me.โ Then he started falling to the ground. Then two people took him in their arms. But the people present started beating Ruplal Das and Pradip Das again.
The police prepared an inquest report from the scene and sent the bodies to Rangpur Medical College morgue for autopsies. When the body of Ruplal Das reached his house around 6:30pm, the locals blocked the highway and protested.
Around 10am on Monday, the army and police were seen patrolling the road leading to Battala. The sound of crying could be heard from Ruplal Dasโ house. Relatives and neighbours were crowding the house in groups.
The nearby Burirhat market and surrounding villages were deserted, and most of the shops were closed, fearing arrest.
A young man from the local Dangapara village said: โIt was 9:30pm. The news spread that a thief had been caught unconscious while trying to rob a van. When I went, I saw a crowd of hundreds of people. The victims pleaded for life, but no one listened.โ
A businessman from Burirhat Bazar, who did not want to be named, said that 10 to 12 days ago, a child, Irfan Babu, was killed by slitting his throat in Burirhat, and a van was stolen. There have been three thefts and robberies in the area before this.
Since then, the area has been tense. Hearing that the thieves had been caught, angry people rushed to the spot and beat them up, he said.
Ruplal Dasโ wife, Bharati Rani, filed a murder case against 700 people with Taraganj police station on Sunday afternoon. With the help of video analysis and information technology, the police arrested four people at night.
The arrestees are Ebadat Hossain, 27, of Balapur village, Akhtarul Islam, 45, Rafiqul Islam, 33, of the Burirhat area; and Mizanur Rahman, 22, of Rahimapur.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) MA Faruk said that they were carrying out drives to arrest others.
English