Bangladesh is again in the headlines. Once known as the world’s garment factory, the country is now caught in a mix of anger, violence, and deep anxiety. Streets that earlier buzzed with trade and hope are today filled with slogans, police sirens and fear. Mob violence, attack on media, intimidation of the press, political killings, attacks on minorities, and sharpening tensions with India have created a sense that the country is slowly losing its balance and perhaps its secular character. General elections have been announced for February 2026, but without allowing the former ruling political party to participate. It was believed that with the announcement of elections in February, there would be some calmness, tempers would go down; instead, they seem to have deepened fear on the streets, lawlessness, and uncertainty rule.

At the heart of the turmoil, Bangladesh is facing a collapse of trust: between citizens and the state, between rival political camps, and increasingly, between Dhaka and New Delhi. The immediate triggers are shocking. Within days, two Hindu men were beaten to death by mobs, one of them lynched and set ablaze. Another Hindu youth was reportedly killed in Rajbari district. The majority of the Minorities are now living under fear, as there is no rule of law, leading to a wider pattern of insecurity faced by minorities. Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian groups say fear has become part of everyday life. Weak police action and slow justice have only made things worse. When mobs seem to get away without punishment, minorities feel it is a sign that their lives matter less.

Equally, student politics, always a sensitive issue in Bangladesh, has once again turned deadly. The killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a well-known youth leader who rose during last year’s mass protests, shocked the nation. Soon after, another student leader was shot in the head. These incidents suggest that political rivalry is sliding into outright criminal violence. For a country proud of its young population, the use of bullets to silence young voices is equally deeply worrying. The students themselves do not know how criminal gangs or some political groups in their garb are taking advantage.

All eyes were on........

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