Nearly two dozen people have reportedly been lynched by mobs in the last month and a half, according to media sources. A report published by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) in July this year highlights the issue of mob justice, stating that 32 individuals fell victim to mob lynching in the first six months of 2024. The numbers were 51 in 2023, 36 in 2022, and 28 in 2021.

These figures clearly indicate a tendency among the general populace in Bangladesh to assume personal responsibility for punishing accused offenders. Who could forget the footage that went viral on social media in 2019, showing the murder of Taslima Begum Renu, a mentally ill single mother, outside Uttar Badda Government Primary School, after she was falsely accused of kidnapping a child? Recently, a youth called Utsab Mandal was injured in a mob attack in Khulna's Sonadanga residential area for allegedly making derogatory comments about religion. In the first week of September, former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader Abdullah Al Masud was killed by a mob while he was buying medicine for his newborn daughter near Rajshahi University.

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Mob justice is just murder

In a similar vein, two tragic incidents occurring on the same night at the campuses of two universities highlight the psychological impact that lynching can have on the mass population of a country. Tofazzal Hossain was allegedly beaten to death by a group of students of Dhaka University's Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall on suspicion of theft. When Tofazzal was having his "last supper" before becoming a victim of the hall students, another former Jahangirnagar University student and a former BCL leader named Shamim Molla, was being pummeled by a mob. Students accused him of spearheading an attack on anti-discrimination demonstrators in front of the vice-chancellor's house on July 15. Shamim passed away at Savar Gonoshasthaya Hospital hours after the beating.

To understand the psychology of the mob, several studies have been conducted. Gustave Le Bon, a French polymath, stated that a crowd exhibits comparable emotions and coined the term "group mind" due to this behavioral consistency, regardless of differences in IQ, education, and career. He said, "In a crowd every sentiment and act is contagious and contagious to such a degree that an individual readily sacrifices his personal interest to collective interest." Deindividuation occurs as people in a crowd may become less conscious of themselves and their responsibilities, which can lead to impulsive and uncontrollable behaviour. People may assume less accountability for their actions and be more ready to engage in behaviours they would normally avoid when they feel anonymous and unidentifiable amidst a crowd.

Moreover, following the demise of the autocratic administration, the police faced widespread public condemnation for their abhorrent actions during the July uprising. Police stations were abandoned for fear of a crowd attack.

A parallel to this trend of mob lynching can be found in the barbaric treatment of criminals during the Dark Ages in Europe. In light of that, Cesare Beccaria, later regarded as the father of criminology, declared that the punishment for a crime should be proportional to the crime itself. The modern justice system is based on that notion, but also ensures the rights of the accused as it considers one innocent until proven guilty. Mob lynching contradicts the principles of justice and the rule of law, particularly the rights to life and a fair trial, which are enshrined in international instruments like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR 1966, Articles 6, and 14) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR 1948, Articles 3, 10, and 11).

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We cannot let mobs be the judge, jury and executioner

When people take the law into their own hands, it undermines the legal system, sending a message that the criminal justice system is incapable of punishing suspected criminals and ensuring proper justice.

The present government and its institutions must act without delay to uphold law and order in the country. While immediate change may not be possible, prompt actions are needed from the state. To restore normalcy, the government has conferred the power of magistracy to commissioned army officers for two months, as the police are yet to become fully functional.

However, this is not sufficient. Laws concerning mob justice should be enacted as they are currently absent in the Penal Code, 1860. Additionally, social media platforms should be continuously monitored to combat rumours. Interpersonal communication through organising seminars, workshops and educational campaigns on the consequences of mob justice could foster a sense of accountability, and different programmes can also be broadcast. Social organisations can also come forward to organise peaceful rallies and arrange dialogues among citizens.

Sagar Kar and Esita Afroj Sondhy are students of criminology and psychology, respectively, at the University of Dhaka.

Views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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