A Collective Injustice Eroding Our Societal Values

On March 4th, a mob attack on two Iranian nationals and another individual occurred in the Bashundhara Residential Area of Dhaka. The police later rescued the two foreigners and admitted them to hospital. The injured Iranians are Mohammad Ahmed, 74, and his grandson MD. Mehedi, 18. They were visiting Bangladesh as tourists. A dispute during currency exchange led to the formation of a mob, and ultimately the tourists were beaten by an angry mob, thought to be robbers. A Day before this incident, two Jamaat-e-Islami workers were lynched by a mob in Satkania of Chattogram, after being presumed as robbers by the locals. The initial reports suggest that the lynching could be politically motivated. On the first day of March, two girls were attacked over smoking in Lalmatia area of the capital. Fortunately, the Police rescued them while a mob was forming.

While one may take these three incidents as isolated events of mob justice and moral policing, unfortunately, these isolated events and the history of mob justice in Bangladesh indicate a deeper disease within our society, a persistent collective injustice often inflicted on others only based on suspicion or dislike in case of moral policing.

Since the ascension of the interim government, mob justice in Bangladesh has brought to the forefront a pressing concern that threatens the nation’s social fabric and legal order. This issue has escalated into a significant law-and-order crisis, reflecting deeper societal flaws. The national psyche, already strained by political upheaval and institutional failures, is further weakened by these acts of collective vigilantism, while the state is failing to intervene or put an end to this social menace. The state and its citizens are responsible for addressing this menace and restoring the rule of law, and both have a lot of responsibilities to undertake to prevent future incidents.

Causes of Mob Justice

The rise of mob justice in Bangladesh is rooted in several systemic and societal issues. Foremost among them is the pervasive lack of trust in law enforcement agencies. Many citizens perceive the police as ineffective or corrupt, leading them to take matters into their own hands. This distrust is compounded by skepticism toward the judiciary, which is often seen as slow and inaccessible. High-profile cases that drag on for years without resolution only reinforce this perception.

Another contributing factor is the lack of state intervention in curbing mob violence. Despite repeated incidents, authorities have failed to implement robust measures to deter such actions, creating an environment where mobs feel emboldened. A social insecurity and deteriorating law and order situation increase grievances within the society, which transforms into forming a mob and becomes merciless towards the victim.  Additionally, a lack of awareness among the populace about individual freedoms and human rights exacerbates the problem. Many people fail to understand that justice must be administered through proper legal channels, not through collective violence.

One significant yet least talked about factor is the political use of mobs. Mobs are often formed under banners to settle political scores or create chaos within the society for political benefit. The recent lynching of two Jamaat workers may be the victims of such an event. The attack on the Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh in the immediate aftermath of the revolution, the attacks on shrines, temples, as well as the latest ‘house raids’ by opportunist people forming groups over political allegations are some of the recent uses of the mob for settling political scores.

A Criminal Act Under Law

Mob justice is not just morally reprehensible; it is also illegal under the law. It constitutes a form of extrajudicial punishment where individuals suspected of crimes are humiliated, beaten, or even killed without any due process. Such acts violate fundamental principles of justice, including the right of the accused to defend themselves in a fair trial. The Penal Code of 1860 addresses mob violence through various provisions. Section 141 defines unlawful assembly, while Section 146 deals with rioting. Depending on the severity of the violence, charges related to causing hurt or even culpable homicide can be applied.

Several mob lynching incidents have been tried in the Judiciary in recent past. Cases like the Aminbazar lynching and Renu’s tragic death highlight how mob actions lead to irreversible consequences for victims and their families. In both cases, key perpetrators received severe punishments.

A Collective Injustice

Mob justice represents a collective failure that contradicts the very ideals upon which modern Bangladesh was founded. The July Revolution of 2024 promised freedom, justice, fairness and equality—principles starkly violated when mobs take the law into their own hands. Extrajudicial killings not only undermine these values but also perpetuate cycles of violence and injustice.

One of the most alarming aspects of mob justice is that victims are often innocent. In many cases, false accusations or misunderstandings lead to tragic outcomes, leaving families devastated and communities divided. Moreover, moral policing—a form of mob justice aimed at enforcing societal norms—raises serious concerns about individual freedoms and human rights. Besides the latest ‘smoking’ incident, moral policing is taking place regularly but does not get media attention always. The women’s football match was forced to be cancelled in rural Northern Bengal earlier.

Women were harassed and assaulted in Cox’s Bazar by a local mob.

From a psychological perspective, mob violence fosters a culture of sadism and desensitization. When people participate in or witness such acts without consequence, it erodes remorse and empathy, and normalizes brutality. This creates a generation increasingly disconnected from values like compassion and fairness.

Religiously and ethically, every member of society must uphold justice and protect human dignity. As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Allowing mob justice to persist not only endangers individual lives but also weakens societal cohesion and trust.

Way Forward

Addressing mob justice requires concerted efforts from both the state and society at large. The government must revitalize law enforcement agencies to ensure they act swiftly and effectively against perpetrators of mob violence. Police inertia must be replaced with proactive measures that demonstrate zero tolerance for such acts.
Exemplary punishments for those involved in mob justice are essential to deter future incidents. The Aminbazar case, where multiple individuals were sentenced for their roles in a lynching incident, serves as a precedent that should be widely publicized to send a strong message.

Public awareness campaigns are equally crucial. Citizens need education about their rights and responsibilities under the law. Emphasizing liberal values like individual freedom can counteract tendencies toward moral policing and vigilante behavior.

Community policing initiatives could also play a vital role in bridging gaps between law enforcement agencies and local communities. By fostering communication and trust, such programs can prevent misunderstandings that often escalate into mob violence.

There is a nexus between lack of security and increasing mob incidents. When people feel insecure but could not find proper legal support, they tend to take the law into their own hands. Hence, the Ministry of Home Affairs and its subordinate law enforcement agencies need to shake up their inertia and inefficiencies and work diligently and effectively to uplift the current law and order situation.

Ultimately, respect for the rule of law must become ingrained in societal norms. Citizens must understand that taking justice into their own hands leads not to order but anarchy—a descent into what Thomas Hobbes described as “a war of every man against every man.”

Conclusion

Mob justice is not merely an isolated phenomenon; it reflects deeper fissures within Bangladeshi society—failures in governance, education, and collective morality. The recent incidents and hardly any visible remedy yet have exposed these vulnerabilities.

The interim government has pledged to restore stability and uphold the rule of law—a promise that must extend to eradicating mob violence. However, this cannot be achieved through state action alone; citizens must also embrace their role as custodians of justice.

Injustice inflicted by mobs today threatens not just its immediate victims but also the very foundations of our society. It is time for Bangladesh to rise above these challenges, ensuring that no one—regardless of guilt or innocence—is denied their fundamental right to due process under the law. Only then can we hope to build a nation where justice truly prevails over chaos. -Source: daily asian age