M Munir Hossain
No words are enough to condemn the heinous offence. The beastly manner in which a good number of people, including intellectually challenged ones, have been made subject to mob lynching, many of whom died on the spot, over the last several days cannot be condemned in words. The only befitting reply to this sort of savagery is that the perpetrators are made to face stringent and immediate punitive actions.
And, this needs to be done for the sake of reinstating the rule of law in society and give a message to offenders that they will have to face severe consequences for their wrongdoing. Increasing incidents of mob attacks on people labelling them ‘child kidnappers’ have sparked the socio-cultural flashpoints of the country, giving rise to a pertinent question – if our society is headed for the mediaeval barbarism. According to media reports, 36 people were killed by mobs in the last six months, and eight, including two women, were killed in last five days ending on July 22. At least 30 others were injured in these five days.
It is truly frustrating to observe that a group of people, often misguided youths, would pick up an individual in suspicion that s/he is a child lifter and start beating her/him up mercilessly without listening to the victim. What is even more disappointing is that hundreds others watch this act of utmost gruesomeness in a fashion as if they are watching a live drama. Many of them are even seen video recording the scene with their cell phone. Hardly any of the watchers make an attempt to save the victim from the atrocity or even use their phone to contact law enforcers and inform them of the matter. However, as peace-loving and law-abiding citizens this is what they are supposed to do.
No individual or group can take the law in their hand and punish anyone suspecting her/him to be an offender. The law of the land does not permit them to do so even the one they have suspected to be criminal actually turns out to be a criminal. What these instances signal is that our people are becoming increasingly less law-abiding. Increasing incidents of violent mob attacks even after the issuance of several warnings by the Police Headquarters and other authorities concerned only testify to this claim.
One feels that there is no room for viewing this disturbing development as an isolated one. This act of criminality is only another expression of our present social condition, which has been turning tumultuous at a rapid pace with increasing rate of criminal offences and alarming rise in rational transgressions.
The solution to this escalating menace therefore lies in comprehensive measures to restore serenity in society. Important social institutions like family and school, which have important role to play in shaping human behaviour but are on the verge of breaking down at present, need to be restored to their original shape. Civil society and media will have to play their due role in making people aware.
But more than anything else, there is a serious need for restoring the rule of law in society. As it has been said earlier, criminals must not be given any scope to develop a feeling that they will be able to stay out of the reach of the law by any means. And, to ensure that all stakeholders including law enforcers, judiciary, politicians, civil society, media and all conscious citizens will have to come forward and perform their respective duties with sincerity.
The intelligence agencies, in particular, will have to intensify their vigilance so that no vested quarter can cash in on any untoward situation and make the country unstable.