Mob justice still prevalent outside Dhaka: Home Adviser

Although mob justice incidents have decreased in Dhaka, they continue to occur in various parts of the country, according to Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

Speaking at a press conference after the 12th law enforcement meeting held at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Secretariat on Monday, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury emphasized the ongoing challenge of mob justice outside the capital.

The meeting covered several key issues including the recording of cases related to the July murder, the overall law and order situation nationwide, measures against mob instigators, actions taken against muggers and extortionists, and the bail process for major criminals.

“Prior to the elections, we recruited 15,851 police personnel, along with 4,469 in the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 5,551 in the Ansar force, 1,558 in the prison department, and 208 in the Fire Service and Civil Defence,” the adviser said. “These were all new recruitments, ranging from sub-inspectors to constables. Similar recruitment was carried out for the Ansar and BGB forces.”

Addressing the issue of mob justice, he stated, “We want to reduce mob justice incidents as much as possible. Recently, there was a mob justice case in Rangpur. While such incidents have declined in Dhaka, they still occur in surrounding areas. We are making efforts to minimize these occurrences.”

Responding to a question about any restrictions from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding flower offerings on August 15, the adviser said, “I am not aware of any ban, but our directive was to ensure no untoward incidents occur.”

When asked about the arrest of the chairman of MyTV despite the plaintiff’s denial of his involvement, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury urged, “Please ask the court. If the police arrest was illegal, the court would have released him. The judiciary is independent and makes its own decisions.”

The adviser also highlighted the importance of protecting innocent citizens from harassment, stating, “We want to ensure that innocent people are not harassed in any way. The guilty will not be spared. We tend to catch the small offenders, but often the bigger criminals get away. Now that a major case has been apprehended, everyone is focusing on it. However, small offenders also exist and should be addressed. We appreciate the media for always reporting the truth.”