Stop mob justice

Mob justice has recently reached an alarming situation in the country. Mob justice is slowly turning into barbaric form. The last example of which was a young man who was beaten to death on suspicion of being a thief in Dhaka University on Wednesday (September 18) night. The person was entertained with meal before being beaten to death. Then they beat him in phases. In the published picture, it can be seen that the whole body of the person is bruised.

According to the news published in the media, a group of students have been accused of beating a person to death by keeping him in the guest room of Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall of Dhaka University on suspicion of being a thief. The unidentified man died after being beaten repeatedly for several hours on Wednesday night. When some students took him to the hospital around 12 midnight yesterday, the doctor declared him dead. The name of the deceased has been identified as Tofazzal. Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost confirmed his death. Outpost in-charge Faruq said that the doctor declared him dead after taking him to the hospital. The body has been kept in the hospital morgue.

In response to this incident, anti-oppression students at Dhaka University held a protest march yesterday (Thursday) at 10 a.m., gathering near the Raju sculpture to voice their outrage. A case has been filed at Shahbag police station to ensure a thorough investigation into the matter. In another troubling incident, Shamim Ahmed, the former organizing secretary of Jahangirnagar University's Chhatra League, was also attacked and later died while receiving treatment at the hospital on the night of September 18. Both incidents have shocked people across the country and have sparked a wave of criticism on social media. This raises the question: how can mob justice be stopped?

Mob justice has proliferated since the government was overthrown through popular uprisings, leading individuals to take justice into their own hands. Numerous teachers have been assaulted and forced to resign. While the courts are meant to judge the innocent, the growing trend of vigilante justice highlights significant weaknesses in the judicial system.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus addressed the nation on September 11, stating, "No one should take the law into their own hands. If anyone creates chaos in society by doing so, we will ensure they are held accountable."

Despite the Chief Adviser's speech, there has been little visible progress in addressing the issue. This raises concerns: have ordinary people lost faith in the judicial system, or are they succumbing to a form of madness? If so, this situation requires urgent attention. A nation cannot be allowed to descend into chaos and darkness. Once a culture of impunity takes root, it becomes increasingly challenging to eradicate.

We urge the government to take a decisive stance on this issue and work swiftly to protect the nation from the scourge of mob justice. Achieving this will not be possible without ensuring legal accountability for criminals. A strong and effective judicial system is essential for restoring public trust and maintaining social order.