We are appalled by the recent incident at Dhaka University, where a suspected thief was lynched by the crowd. That the man was later found to suffer from mental illness is absolutely tragic; there is nothing worse than wrongful punishment of innocent individuals, especially those that are in need of help.
It is just the latest glaring example of mob justice in our nation having gone too far, and the need to address this growing issue with the seriousness it warrants. While the dark cloud of mob justice in our society has always been prevalent, it would not be an exaggeration to say that we have seen an alarming rise since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5.
The people of Bangladesh have certainly had reason to be frustrated for a while now. Yet, resorting to violence undermines the very values of justice and poses serious legal as well as moral implications.
When citizens feel that the formal justice system is ineffective in addressing grievances, it is a sign that there is a disconnect with the rule of law. The act of lynching another individual reflects a breakdown of social order, where individuals take on the role of judge, jury, and executioner without any due process. That a man can be beaten to death within the premises of Dhaka University based on suspected theft is extremely worrisome -- we do not want to be typecast as a nation of people fueled by vengeance.
While we appreciate Home Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury saying that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands, along with at least one of the student leaders who has also voiced his condemnation, offering mere words is simply not enough.
We hope that the legal procedure into the matter is not delayed, and that any and all who are found guilty be punished. This nation cannot afford to let such actions become the norm, and undo all the potential it has to rebuild as a nation.