New Delhi, Feb 4 (NationPress) Just two days after an anti-corruption agency expressed worries about political violence and assaults on minority groups, a human rights organization has highlighted the escalating incidents of political and mob violence as Bangladesh approaches its February 12 general election, as reported by media sources.

It emphasized the surge in mob violence and lynching, labeling these occurrences as "extremely alarming", according to Bangladesh’s The Daily Star on Wednesday, citing the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS).

Information gathered from various news outlets revealed that there have been 413 incidents of mob beatings documented nationwide during the 17-month tenure of the current interim administration.

These lynchings have led to a minimum of 259 fatalities, the report stated. The HRSS ‘Report on Violence Prior to the 13th National Parliamentary Election’, which was shared on Wednesday, underscored the seriousness of these killings.

It indicated that victims were frequently beaten to death or set ablaze. The case of garment worker Dipu Chandra Das was also noted, who was beaten to death and his body burned based on false accusations of blasphemy.

Additionally, the report stated that at least five individuals have lost their lives and 970 others have been injured due to election-related violence throughout the nation in the two months since the announcement of the 13th Parliamentary election schedule.

The report was compiled using data from 15 national newspapers, over 150 local publications, and information gathered by district correspondents.

Furthermore, the HRSS claimed that at least 60 people died during the same timeframe in confrontations with law enforcement, in custody, or as a result of torture.

The breakdown reveals six fatalities in clashes or alleged "gunfights", 22 due to torture, 12 while in law enforcement custody, and 20 from gunshot wounds.

Moreover, at least 127 accused individuals perished in prison custody across the nation during this period, according to the report.

The HRSS study also recorded 56 assaults on minority communities, which included vandalism of homes and places of worship.

These incidents resulted in one death and 27 injuries, while 17 temples, 63 idols, and 65 homes were vandalized.

Six cases of land grabbing aimed at minority communities were also documented. The report noted 162 incidents of violence recorded between December 11, 2025 – when the election schedule was announced – and January 31, 2026.

These events included clashes, assaults, vandalism, and arson involving rival candidates and their supporters, often stemming from disagreements over nominations and local political dominance.

Presenting a broader overview of human rights conditions over the past 17 months, from September 2024 to January 2026, another HRSS report released on Wednesday indicated that 1,411 incidents of political violence occurred nationwide, resulting in at least 195 deaths and 11,229 injuries.

Significantly, 704 of these incidents were attributed to internal conflicts within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliated organizations.

These intra-party disputes resulted in 121 deaths and left 7,131 individuals injured. The report attributed these conflicts to struggles for dominance, political retribution, violence during rallies, disputes over committee formation, extortion, and attempts to seize control of establishments.

On Monday, Dhaka-based The Business Standard cited a study by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) indicating that Bangladesh has experienced over 50 assaults on minority communities recently. This was alongside election-related violence, where at least 15 political leaders and activists have been killed nationwide in the past 36 days, as reported.