Dhaka, April 18 (NationPress) In light of the significant pledges made by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) administration under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the anticipated cessation of mob culture in the nation remains elusive, as reported by local media in Dhaka.

A piece in The Daily Star noted that upon the BNP government's inauguration in February of this year, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed proclaimed the "end of mob culture".

"This declaration was bold and long overdue. Following months where mob violence had become disturbingly commonplace, it provided a glimmer of relief and even hope that the government was poised to reclaim control from the streets. Unfortunately, that hope proved fleeting," the newspaper stated.

On April 10, a mob in Dhaka's Shahbagh assaulted a group of friends near the National Museum, labeling them as 'homosexuals', 'transgender', or 'hijra'. The next day, another mob brutally murdered a pir named Abdur Rahman—known as Shamim al-Jahangir—in Kushtia. Two attacks in two days serve as harsh reminders of how swiftly a minister’s assurance can dissipate.

The leading daily referenced a recent report from Dhaka's Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), which disclosed that at least 49 individuals lost their lives in 88 mob-related incidents during the first quarter of 2026, with March alone witnessing 25 violent mob confrontations that resulted in 13 fatalities and 38 injuries.

"The government has not merely failed to avert a succession of assaults. By repeatedly announcing the end of mob violence while permitting it to persist, it has imparted a perilous lesson to mobs: warnings often lack repercussions. Observing the aftermath of violence, men prone to aggression notice a pattern. When arrests are minimal, prosecutions are protracted, and punishment remains hidden from public view, the message is clear: the state hesitates, and the streets are left unprotected," the report emphasized.

It was pointed out that mere condemnation without tangible consequences does not equate to governance.

"What is required now is not another proclamation but a visible enforcement of law. Immediate arrests, consistent prosecution, and exemplary punishment are necessary. Furthermore, accountability must extend beyond the mobs to the law enforcement officials who delay action, turn a blind eye, or hesitate to intervene based on the identity of the assailants. The message to police is unequivocal: when a mob assembles, take action. Safeguard the victim. Disperse the crowd. Arrest the assailants. Uphold the law," the Daily Star report concluded.