Has Mob Rule Supplanted the Rule of Law in Bangladesh under Yunus?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mob rule has reportedly replaced the rule of law in Bangladesh under the Yunus administration.
- The Awami League reported a staggering 3,857 murders within a year.
- Several allegations of state-sanctioned executions have emerged, particularly involving political opponents.
- There is a demand for accountability from the Yunus government regarding the deaths of party members in custody.
- The party calls for urgent reforms to ensure justice and safety for all citizens.
Dhaka, Aug 1 (NationPress) The Awami League party of Bangladesh declared on Friday that mob rule has supplanted the rule of law in the nation, which now holds alarming global records in murder and extortion under the interim leadership of Mohammad Yunus.
'Year of Yunus's Reform: A Nation in Crisis. 3,857 murders in a year. Extortion from teachers, farmers, and small businesses, a justice system paralyzed by bias, increased terrorism and communal attacks, total economic instability, no accountability, citizens live in fear, and criminals roam freely,' the Awami League expressed on X.
The party raised questions about the Yunus-led interim government regarding the purported 'reforms' while lawlessness prevails in Bangladesh. They emphasized that the nation requires safety without fear, justice devoid of bias, and a government that serves the people rather than a political party.
Critically addressing the Yunus government, the Awami League stated that if the Yunus administration cannot deliver, it should resign.
In addition, the party condemned the recent death of Iftekharul Uddin Pintoo, an Awami League leader and former MP from Netrokona district, while in police custody, labeling it a 'state-sanctioned execution'.
The Awami League claimed that Pintoo's death was not due to illness but rather a murder disguised as 'natural causes'.
'Under the Yunus regime, prisons have transformed into death factories for opposition voices — silent execution grounds where truth is suppressed and falsehoods are propagated. Referring to this as 'death from illness' is not merely dishonest; it is criminal. We demand justice for Pintoo. We demand accountability for every official involved. We demand an end to state-sponsored killings,' the party asserted.
On Thursday, the Awami League vehemently criticized the 'brutal torture and killing' of inmates within prisons nationwide. They noted that with the full 'use of state machinery', the Yunus administration is conducting 'premeditated killings' even behind prison walls.
Condemning the Yunus administration, the party stated that the 'illegitimate, murderous, fascist clique of Yunus' has turned Bangladesh into a 'land of death'.
The statement highlighted that indiscriminate killings are occurring across Bangladesh and that if the victim is an Awami League leader or activist, the 'cruelty knows no bounds'.
'For this regime, the deaths of Awami League members seem to provide a perverse satisfaction. It's as if the government has granted itself a license to kill them,' the party noted.
Additionally, Awami League leader and former Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Mohammad Arafat, emphasized on social media that since August 2024, a total of 26 Awami League leaders and activists have died while in custody.
'This includes extrajudicial killings by law enforcement and/or security agents, deaths resulting from torture during interrogation, and fatalities under suspicious circumstances in jail. Not a single incident has been investigated by the Yunus-led interim government, much less holding anyone accountable. Even worse, none of the families have been permitted to file cases,' he stressed.