Mob justice has reached such an alarming state in Bangladesh that even interim government head Dr Muhammad Yunus, in a speech on Wednesday, urged people not to take the law into their own hands.
Earlier, several coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement also expressed their strong opposition to mob justice, but all these have had little effect.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5, large-scale mob justice began, though incidents of vigilante justice, such as lynching suspected thieves or robbers, have been seen before in Bangladesh.
However, this time, incidents have escalated, including forcing heads of institutions like university vice chancellors to resign, beating and driving them away, attacking defendants on court premises and, in some cases, even killings through beatings and hacking.
However, no arrests or legal actions have been reported in connection with these incidents. Warnings from the government and mob justice continue side by side.
Coordinators of the student movement have also faced resistance and protests during district tours. Recently, in Bogra, they were forced to return before they could hold their scheduled rally, under police and military protection. Similar incidents have been reported in other districts.
YouTuber Ashraful Alom, better known as Hero Alom, came under an attack during the by-election to the Dhaka-17 constituency on July 17 last year, where he ran against Awami League candidate Mohammad A Arafat.
Although Arafat's party has since fallen from power, attacks on Hero Alom have not ceased.
On September 8, Hero Alom was attacked again at a Bogra court. He claimed that the attack had been carried out by some youth, offended by his comments about BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman. "After the fall of one autocratic regime, another group has begun their criminal activities," Hero Alom said after the attack.
The same day, former Chhatra League leader Abdullah Al Masud, who had been disabled in a previous attack eight years ago, was lynched in Rajshahi. He had been using a prosthetic leg since losing his limb.
That day, he had gone out to buy medicine but was beaten to death over allegations of attacking students on August 5. Masud had become a father to a daughter on September 3.
The interim government took the oath of office on August 8. Since then, legal cases have been filed arbitrarily, and as former ministers and MPs from the deposed government began to be detained, attacks on them started happening on court premises, even in the presence of police officers. Women have not been spared from these attacks either.
‘Did not expect such things’
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Md Omar Faruk called the incidents since August 5 alarming. “We did not expect such things… These brutal murders and attacks, which started in July, are still ongoing. These things have robbed us of sleep. People are being killed like snakes. If this continues, it will mean there is no rule of law.”
“What law allows you to attack teachers and force them to resign? [You are] making people step down from positions going to various offices. The government will take action against those who have committed crimes. But how are those doing this (forcing people to resign) going about it? Why is no action being taken against them?”
He continued: “A few days ago, students blocked the intersection at Sat Rasta for protests. They occupied the road, and our cars were stuck. Traffic police stood there chatting. No one was doing their job; everyone was just going about as they pleased.”
Almost no public university in Bangladesh has resumed classes yet. About 50 vice chancellors and pro-VCs have been forced to resign. Over 200 heads of educational institutions have been forcibly removed. Teachers have been targeted. Minorities have also been attacked.
Violent attacks and arson at various factories have worsened the situation. The Gazi Tyres factory in Rupganj, Narayanganj, was destroyed almost in a “festive manner.”
Vandalism at shrines is now taking place, including the destruction of the Dewanbag shrine in Narayanganj and others. The Golap Shah shrine in Dhaka is under threat of demolition.
‘Govt not doing enough’
Prof Sheikh Hafizur Rahman of Dhaka University’s Department of Law attributed mob justice to long-standing frustration and a lack of accountability. “But I also see irresponsibility here. The interim government is not doing enough to address this issue. The students who led the mass uprising are partly to blame in some cases, while in other cases, overzealous citizens have contributed to the current situation.”
The professor said he feared that this situation might destroy the significant achievements of the student movement.
“Educational institutions, especially universities like Dhaka University, are now in a state of disorder. If any teacher, police officer, or government official has committed wrongdoing, they can be held accountable under the law. But what is happening now is illegal,” he added.
Hafizur said the Awami League government had fallen because of a mass uprising, adding that he did not see it as a revolution. “We need a cultural revolution. If the interim government does not take swift action against mob justice, a massacre will occur.”
Bangladesh has also seen horrifying attacks on police stations and the looting of weapons. Many looted weapons have yet to be recovered, and some police officers remain too terrified to return to work.
Expert urges strict action
Syed Bazlul Karim, former head of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch, said the trend of taking the law into one’s own hands could not exist in a civilized society.
“A person as universally respected as Professor Yunus is now in charge of the government. His administration should take strict action against those involved in mob justice.”
The former police officer said some people now thought they could do whatever they pleased and some groups might even exploit the situation to worsen the chaos. “Meanwhile, others are taking advantage of it. This has created the current situation. After the widespread attacks on the police, law enforcement is now less active. The government should make the military more active to bring the situation under control.”
Tensions have also arisen over deputy commissioner appointments. Those who aspired to become district commissioners but could not are now creating unrest at the Secretariat.
Last month, students stormed the Secretariat and forced the government to cancel the remaining six subjects of this year’s HSC exams. Almost as if inspired by them, Ansar members also entered the Secretariat and created a hostage situation to press home their demands, though they were subdued with the help of students.
Call for putting an end to mob rule immediately
Sociologist Prof Nehal Karim remarked that 99% of the people in Bangladesh had not been properly socialized. As a result, there was inconsistency and inequality in every profession, he added.
“In the next four or five months, I expect more chaos in various sectors because now anyone who can is trying to take matters into their own hands.
“These students have been given too much leeway. They were made advisers when they could have been made assistant advisers. But it was not right to make them advisers or secretaries. They have seen that if they protest, laws change, and if they make demands, they are met. This is now spreading throughout society. So everyone wants to take matters into their own hands. If they do not like someone, they are pulling them down, attacking them. The police, administration and teachers have all become victims of this.”
It must be stopped immediately, or else barbarity would increase, Nehal added.
