Target killings in Bangladesh 2025 escalate with 1,933 murder cases filed nationwide from January to June, driven by unrecovered looted weapons. Authorities report this on Monday, August 25, 2025, at 4:35 PM. Who: Interim government and police.
This surge in target killings underscores a deepening law and order crisis in Bangladesh, with ripple effects on South Asia’s stability. Neighbouring nations face heightened risks from cross-border arms flows and refugee pressures if violence spills over—elections in February 2026 demand swift reforms to restore trust.
Target Killings Escalate Amid Looted Firearms Crisis
Police headquarters data reveal 1,933 murder cases registered from January to June 2025. This marks a steady climb, with monthly figures rising from 294 in January to 344 in June. Many incidents qualify as target killings, involving deliberate assassinations of political figures, activists, and rivals.
Over 5,753 firearms vanished from police stations, outposts, and vehicles during the July-August 2024 uprising. Joint operations since September 4, 2024, have recovered 4,390. That leaves 1,344 unaccounted for. From prisons in Narsingdi and Sherpur, mobs looted 94 weapons; 67 returned, but 27 remain missing.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police logged 198 murders in the capital over 10 months to November 2024, averaging 20 monthly. These often stem from targeted hits using smuggled or looted guns. Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam stated, “If someone shoots another in a targeted manner, there is no preventive mechanism anywhere in the world. We can investigate and arrest, but we cannot prevent such killings.”
The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus since August 8, 2024, launched “Operation Devil Hunt” with army support to curb crime. Yet, analysts link the spike to post-uprising chaos. Professor Dr Md Omar Faruk, chairman of the Criminology and Police Science Department at Maulana Bhashani University, warned: “These arms have fallen into the hands of organised gangs and are being used in targeted assassinations.”
Extrajudicial Dimensions of Target Killings
Human rights monitors document persistent extrajudicial elements in target killings in Bangladesh in 2025. Odhikar reported 40 such deaths from August 2024 to September 2025 under the Yunus administration. These include 19 by gunfire, 14 via torture, and seven from beatings. While numbers dropped from Hasina-era peaks, impunity endures.
A UN Human Rights Office report from February 2025 detailed 1,400 deaths during the 2024 protests, mostly shootings by security forces. It flagged possible crimes against humanity, including hundreds of extrajudicial killings. Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “The testimonies and evidence we gathered paint a disturbing picture of rampant State violence and targeted killings.”
Post-uprising revenge attacks targeted Awami League affiliates and police. Mob violence surged, with rights groups noting a wave of such killings in late 2024. Official data show that 43 bodies were recovered monthly from rivers until August 2025, up from 36 the previous year. Some may tie to unreported target killings.
Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury affirmed on November 4, 2025: “Anyone involved in killings, whether from security forces or any other groups, would be brought under the law and held accountable.” Police distractions from election preparations hinder investigations, according to experts.
Regional Hotspots and Patterns in Target Killings
Dhaka and Chittagong emerge as epicentres. In Mirpur, Golam Kibria, Jubo Dal member secretary, died from gunshot wounds inside a shop on November 17, 2025. Tariq Saif Mamun, a gang leader, fell outside Old Dhaka’s District and Sessions Judge Court. Sarwar Hossain, alias Babla, perished at a BNP event in Chittagong. Alauddin Mridha suffered from shooting and hacking in Khulna’s Karimnagar on November 16, 2025.
These fit patterns of coordinated target killings by underworld networks. Most weapons predate the uprising, but looted arms amplify threats. Professor Faruk noted: “Terrorists are exploiting political, economic, and familial networks to commit killings.” Cross-border smuggling through India and Myanmar exacerbates the issue.
Robbery cases reached 171 in January 2025, up from 114 cases per year prior. Extortion grips businesses and vendors. The Early Warning Project estimates a 4.9 per cent risk of new mass killings in 2024-2025, ranking Bangladesh 13th globally.
Background: Legacy of the 2024 Uprising
The July Revolution ousted Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, following deadly quota protests. Prothom Alo tallied 624 deaths from July 16 to August 16, 2024; 354 pre-resignation. UNICEF reported 32 child victims. The interim government gazetted 834 deaths by January 2025, though the UN estimates reached 1,400.
Hasina’s regime faced accusations of thousands of extrajudicial killings by the Rapid Action Battalion. On November 17, 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity in protest suppression. Retaliatory violence followed, including attacks on Awami League sites.
Yunus’s team vowed reforms, establishing a foundation for the victims of the uprising. Yet, the release of militants and the looting of arsenals bred new perils. Border Guard Bangladesh tightens controls, but gaps persist.
What’s Next: Elections and Security Reforms
Parliamentary polls loom in February 2026. The interim government eyes judicial probes into abuses. UN urges avoiding party bans to foster democracy. Rights groups push commissions for justice. Mobilising recoveries requires US$50 million in equipment, according to police estimates. Provincial forces, such as the BGB, expand their patrols. Experts call for neutralising gangs pre-election. Target killings in Bangladesh 2025 threaten democratic gains, but targeted enforcement offers a path to containment
Published in SouthAsianDesk, November 19th, 2025
Follow SouthAsianDesk on X, Instagram, and Facebook for insights on business and current affairs from across South Asia.
