Is the government losing its grip on law and order?

This is an opinion article published in The Daily Star (Bangladesh) on August 5, 2026, written by Kallol Mustafa. It critically examines whether Bangladesh's BNP-led elected government has improved law and order and human rights conditions since taking office, arguing that it largely has not. Main topics covered include: Crime and mob violence statistics: 915 murder cases were recorded in March–May 2026 (the BNP's first three months), up from 767 comparable cases in the same period of 2025; mob violence killed 31–42 people in March–April alone Human rights abuses: Deaths in police custody, extrajudicial killings, attacks on religious minorities and Baul communities, and a 77% rise in mob violence injuries between May and June Freedom of expression concerns: At least 51 journalists assaulted in June, arrests under cybersecurity and anti-terrorism laws, and criminal cases filed against reporters covering ministerial corruption Failure to implement structural reforms: The BNP government has not acted on UN recommendations to reform or dissolve agencies like RAB and DGFI, and has actually repealed an interim-government ordinance strengthening the National Human Rights Commission The author concludes that without genuine police, judiciary, and institutional reform, public support for the government will erode.

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The Daily Star

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The Daily Star

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