In recent years, the increasing involvement of people from various professions and segments of society in legal disputes has raised serious concerns about the state of law and order in our country. Journalists, who have long served as the voice of truth, are now facing legal entanglements, while lawyers are similarly drawn into lawsuits. Many of these cases, lacking credible foundations, have sparked widespread doubts about the integrity of our legal system. The public perception is shifting as the legal apparatus appears to be misused for harassment, not justice, casting a dark shadow over the country's judicial framework.
Legal experts warn that if these trends persist, the legitimacy of ongoing movements, particularly the student uprising, may be questioned. Filing a case against someone with valid reasons is one thing, but using the legal system as a tool for persecuting innocent individuals is deeply troubling. Such actions erode public faith in justice, threatening the very fabric of law and order.
Compounding this problem is a disturbing rise in mob violence. The country is seeing an increasing number of incidents where mobs take the law into their own hands: Lynchings, attacks on individuals accused of crimes, vandalism, and even destruction of public monuments. These acts of violence are not just a breakdown of law and order but also an attack on the very principles of civilization.
Mob trials have become a dangerous trend similarly, replacing due process with the emotion-fueled demands of the crowd. These trials are not based on evidence or reason but on retribution. Tragically, this has led to gruesome murders, where people are killed not because they were proven guilty but because a mob believed they were. This alarming pattern of violence reflects the unraveling of our legal and moral standards.
What is most concerning is that these incidents of mob violence are not isolated, and that they have spread across the country. Statues of national heroes like Bangabandhu, as well as monuments from the Liberation War, have been destroyed. Shrines have been demolished, and businesses and factories have been set ablaze.
The nation watched the gruesome mob killing of a former Chhatra League leader in Rajshahi. This violence can be chalked up to pre-existing national traumas as a result of living through multiple authoritarian regimes, but such barbaric acts signify a potential breakdown of law and order, which we must all resist.
If the interim government does not act swiftly to mob violence and restore faith in the legal system and our law enforcement, the student uprising risks losing its legitimacy. Hopes for meaningful reform and change will be dashed, and the nation stands to be left in deeper turmoil. The public’s trust in justice and governance has never been more fragile; if it is shattered, the consequences will be long-lasting.
Worryingly, this culture of violence has even reached the judiciary. We have seen former ministers and parliamentarians from previous governments being physically assaulted. These are not just attacks on individuals but on the very institutions meant to uphold justice. The government must decisively restore order and respect the rule of law. Failure to do so will result in a total collapse of trust in the legal system.
This is not the first time the country has faced such a crisis. During the Awami League government, we witnessed extrajudicial killings where law enforcement agencies, fearing criminals would be released if brought to trial, resorted to “crossfire deaths.” These acts were a gross violation of human rights, and similarly, the current wave of mob justice is just as illegal. It must be condemned with equal vigor.
Increasing the severity of punishment in the belief that it will deter crime has never been an effective solution. History shows that harsher penalties do not reduce crime rates; instead, they lead to a breakdown in legal norms, encouraging people to take the law into their own hands. The rise of mob justice is a reflection of this dangerous mentality. We must address the root causes of crime and restore faith in the legal system, or we risk watching society unravel further.
The time for decisive action is now. If we fail to act, we risk descending further into lawlessness and despair, a future where chaos, not justice, rules.
Apurba Mogumder is an Apprentice Lawyer, District and Session Judge Court, Dhaka.
