Bangladesh government warns citizens against lynchings, spreading rumours

The government has urged citizens to report suspicous individuals to police instead of taking the law into their own hands in light of the recent string of lynchings,

It also reiterated that lynchings and the spreading of rumours are punishable offences in a note issued on Monday.

The government has called on the population to not heed rumours circulating on Facebook of 'the sacrifice of human heads' for the construction of the Padma Bridge. Several people have also been arrested on charges of spreading rumours.   

On Thursday, a youth was beaten to death by an angry mob in Netrokona after a child's 'severed head' inside his bag.

Later, several people suspected of being 'child lifters' were lynched throughout the country. At least six people were killed and around 50 others injured in these incidents.

"The government has been alerted to lynchings of innocent people suspected of being child abductors," the note said.

"It is a criminal offence to spread any kind of ill-founded and malicious rumour or take the law into one's hand."

It continued: "Citizens are requested to report any suspicious individual to the law enforcement agency instead of dealing with matters by themselves. The assistance of the police may be availed under these circumstance by calling 999."

Superintendents of police around the country have also been directed by the headquarters to step up efforts to prevent lynchings.