The pursuit of justice is often a cruel waiting game -- especially for survivors of sexual violence. Rape cases pile up, legal processes drag on for years, and perpetrators walk free, emboldened by a system that offers them little reason to fear consequences.
As the justice system falters, another disturbing trend is taking its place: Mob justice. Communities, frustrated with inaction, are resorting to extrajudicial killings, dragging accused individuals out of police custody, and delivering swift, brutal punishment on the streets.
But does this cycle of unchecked violence really make anyone safer? Or are we simply trading one form of lawlessness for another?
The recent brutal rape of an eight-year-old girl in Magura is a horrifying reminder of just how broken our system is. The accused -- her sister’s father-in-law -- was not a first-time offender. Reports indicate that he had been involved in similar crimes before, yet he roamed free, unchecked, until his latest victim who, tragically, lost her life.
This is not an exception, it is the rule. Survivors and their families who seek justice often face a long, humiliating ordeal. Police delays, bureaucratic red tape, and social stigma force many into silence. Those who dare to speak out must navigate a court system where rape cases can take years -- to resolve.
And so, a dangerous alternative has emerged. When legal avenues fail, the public takes matters into its own hands.
In a display of lawlessness, an enraged crowd stormed court premises and beat a suspected rape perpetrator while he was in police custody. In another incident, a lawyer was viciously attacked simply for defending a rape suspect in court.
At first glance, these acts may seem like justice served, a way to compensate for a failed system. But in reality, mob justice erodes the very fabric of our society.
When people begin to believe that the law cannot protect them, they stop following it altogether. The result? More chaos, more violence, and an even greater risk for women and girls who are already vulnerable.
Mob justice does not punish sexual violence; it deepens the culture of fear. Survivors may hesitate to come forward, worried that their accusations could lead to more violence rather than legal action.
In some cases, women who report rape have faced community backlash, accused of “bringing shame” or even being targeted themselves.
Meanwhile, perpetrators learn that avoiding the law does not mean avoiding punishment altogether -- it just means navigating an unpredictable landscape of mob retribution, where guilt is determined not by evidence, but by public outrage.
This cannot be the future of justice in Bangladesh. If we are to break this cycle, we must start where the problem begins: With legal reform.
Rape laws need to be strengthened, not just in writing but in enforcement. Cases must be fast-tracked, ensuring that survivors are not forced to wait years for a verdict.
Police must be trained to handle gender-based violence with urgency and sensitivity, ensuring that no perpetrator walks free because of negligence or corruption.
And above all, we must restore faith in our judicial system -- because when people stop believing in the courts, they take the law into their own hands, with deadly consequences.
This is not just about punishing rapists; it is about protecting society. A country where justice is uncertain, where women live in fear, and where mobs rule the streets is a country that has lost control.
The solution to sexual violence is not more violence. It is a system that works -- a system that listens to survivors, holds perpetrators accountable, and ensures that justice is delivered not by angry crowds, but by the rule of law. Anything less is not justice at all.
SM Shaikat is a human rights advocate and Executive Director at SERAC-Bangladesh
Email: [email protected].
