Lynchings recur in Khulna

KHULNA, Sept 20- The so-called ‘mob culture’ appears to have taken a new turn in Khulna as three people were beaten to death in separate incidents within about a month over allegations ranging from theft to child lifting.

The latest incident occurred late Friday night when Ayman Md Azmul Hossain, 22, a first-year English student of North Western University, was allegedly beaten over an accusation of stealing food.

He died at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) shortly after being taken there in critical condition.

Earlier, on September 9, a young man named Sajmir, 22, was beaten in the Teligati area allegedly over the theft of a mobile phone and Indian currency belonging to a former student of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). He died the following day while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

On August 18, Raju, 26, was beaten to death near the Boro Mosque at Rayermohol Bazar on suspicion of being a child lifter.

Local youths as well as school and college students were allegedly involved in the incident.

The three consecutive killings have sparked concern among citizens, human rights activists, academics and law enforcement officials, who have linked such incidents to declining family and social values, lack of tolerance and humanity, and diminishing respect for the rule of law.

Contacted Khulna Nagarik Samaj member secretary Advocate Babul Howlader said mob culture was unacceptable and called for bringing every extrajudicial killing under the law.

He said failure to take those involved in such incidents to justice encouraged others to commit similar acts.

He demanded that all extrajudicial incidents since August 5, 2024 be brought under legal scrutiny.

Bangladesh Human Rights Implementation Organisation, Khulna coordinator Advocate Mominul Islam expressed concern over students' involvement in crimes, saying there was a serious lack of family education.

"Schools are providing education mainly from textbooks, while there is little scope for moral, social and human development," he said, adding that sports could help transform young people's minds, but adequate sporting facilities were lacking.

He said loneliness could make people violent and greedy, while parental behaviour also had a strong influence on children.

Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (Sadar) MM Shakiluzzaman said social degradation was pushing young people towards crime.

"In the past, people listened to elders in their neighbourhoods. They maintained discipline in society. But now young people hardly listen to elders," he said.

He stressed that parents must take responsibility for guiding young people and urged society to restore traditional social discipline and confidence in law enforcement agencies.

Khulna City BNP president and KDA Chairman SM Shafiqul Alam Mona expressed concern over the three killings, saying social instability and lack of family education were contributing to such incidents. He called for respect for the law to prevent crime.

Professor Dr Abdullah Abu Sayeed Khan, head of the Sociology Discipline at Khulna University, said instability that emerged in educational institutions following the July movement was still persisting.

He said lack of tolerance and morality among students, along with family, social and cultural factors and institutional and state-level weaknesses, were contributing to crime.

"Students, particularly young people, need family and social counselling. Law enforcement agencies should also strengthen surveillance around universities and ensure strict enforcement of the law," he said.
Meanwhile, police are searching for four Khulna University students named in the murder case filed over Azmul's death.

Officer-in-Charge of Harintana Police Station Md Iqbal Hossain said Azmul's father, Md Qutub Uddin, filed the murder case on Saturday night, naming four Khulna University students and 20-25 unnamed persons.
"No one has been arrested yet. We are searching for the accused and hope to make progress within the next couple of days," he said.

The OC said police were investigating whether Azmul was killed solely over eating food without informing the mess authorities or whether any other issue was involved.

He said investigators were also examining whether Azmul had been thrown from the rooftop after being beaten.

According to police and intelligence sources, Azmul was allegedly accused of stealing food and other belongings. He was reportedly taken to the rooftop of a four-storey building and beaten. His hair was also cut.

The FIR says Azmul was beaten on allegations of theft at a mess on Islambag Road near Khan Jahan Ali Hall of Khulna University. At one stage, he fell from the rooftop and was taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead.

Khulna University Student Affairs Director Professor Dr Md Salauddin said the incident occurred outside the university area, at a rented residential building near the gate of Khan Jahan Ali Hall, where former students of several universities, including Khulna University, Gopalganj University and Northern University, lived.

Meanwhile, general students of Khulna University staged a protest rally demanding a fair investigation into Azmul's killing and maximum punishment for those responsible.

The rally and procession were held at Hadi Chattar on the campus at around 1pm on Sunday.