Narayanganj mob kills youth after accusing him of robbery
A 25-year-old man was beaten to death in Narayanganj on Saturday night after he and a companion were abducted from their homes and tied to an electric pole by a group accusing them of robbery. The victim, identified as Jisan, succumbed to his injuries after the assault in the West Masdair area, while his associate, Onik, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Footage of the incident, which has since circulated widely on social media, shows the two men bound to a pole with rope while being struck repeatedly with steel pipes and wooden clubs. Witnesses and local authorities report that the victims were lured from their residences before being subjected to the vigilante violence, allegedly led by Kawsar Hossain, an imam of the local Al Falah Mosque and leader of a community organization known as the Al Falah Welfare Association.
Jisan’s father, Yunus Mia, told the media that his family’s desperate pleas for mercy during the assault were ignored by the perpetrators. He has since called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the fatal attack.
Following the beating, a video captured the imam addressing the crowd via a loudspeaker, claiming the assault was an act of public retribution and insisting that the group would face no legal repercussions due to their collective influence. The imam further challenged the authority of the administration, urging the community to remain united against potential legal challenges.
While some local residents have alleged that Jisan was involved in narcotics and theft—claims that remain unverified—police have emphasized that such suspicions do not justify lethal extrajudicial violence.
Tarek Al Mehedi, Additional Superintendent of Police for Narayanganj, confirmed that while Jisan had a prior record involving a physical altercation, the law remains clear regarding vigilantism. He stated that the police have launched an investigation into the incident and the organization involved, pledging to bring all those responsible for the killing to justice.
