I'll start with a comment made on Friday by a Prothom Alo Online reader. He wrote, "People are suffering from insecurity and a sense of panic. No one speaks out. They are scared to confront this "vicious public". Journalists are quiet, scared even about their own safety. Everyone is looking for a safe place. I was thinking, what has happened to the writers and the journalists? Where are the human rights organisations and activists? They all remain silent."
Let's first get one thing clear. The people to whom the reader referred to as "vicious public" are not the public, but organised criminals. When people who have respect for law gather together, we call them public. But when certain persons spread rumours and criminal acts are carried out in a planned manner, when individuals or installations are attacked, then these people are not the public, but criminals.
A society or the state rests on certain fundamental principles and ideals. No one will interfere with others and no one will force their opinion on others. If they do, the government will take action. If the government fails to do so, anarchy emerges. People panic.
According to the Human Rights Support Society, at least 119 persons have been killed and 74 injured in 114 incidents of mob violence during the seven months of the interim government. This should not have happened if the rule of law was in place.
When the issue of mob violence or the deterioration of law and order was raised during the Awami League rule, those in power would pay no heed. They would say, "The journalists can never see anything good." Some in the interim government try to make similar statements. They say, why were you silent for the last 15 years? This is a ploy to cover up their own failure. People in the chairs change, but their characters do not.
Citing a few recent examples will indicate to what extent mob violence has gone. Last week, miscreants spread a rumour that a huge cache of arms, millions of taka and Awami League collaborators were hidden in a house on Road 88 in Gulshan. The miscreants raided the house. Earlier, two people were killed on the pretext that robbers have been caught in Satkania, Chattogram. In Lalmatia two women were assaulted during an argument over their smoking in public. The government hardly seems very perturbed.
Over 10,000 persons have been arrested in Operation Devil Hunt. The question is, why are the criminals still running rampant? The government's view on mob violence is not clear. In legal terms, those who commit crimes are devils.
But the government is nabbing some devils and turning a blind eye towards others. They are not taking firm measures against those who are taking the law into their own hands in various places, those who have forcefully occupied other people's houses, shops, offices, bus terminals, launch terminals, etc.
Professional criminals are involved in this too or they are being used for political interests. While the government is mostly responsible to maintain law and order, the people have responsibility too. The government has been unable to perform the responsibility bestowed upon it. But are we citizens doing our duty?
When a mob gathers anywhere, when a woman is harassed, it is the duty of the citizens to stand by the victim and to hand the attacker over to the law. But in many cases the citizens take the law into their own hands. The Lalmatia incident is a case in hand. The comment made by the law advisor about the two young women is absolutely reprehensible. He spoke of them smoking in public. He said nothing of them being physically assaulted.
Another advisor said, an understanding had been reached there. What understanding? The manner in which the two young women were molested was there for all to see on social media. Such molesters cannot be let free. If there is any complaint against those women, let steps be taken against that too, in keeping with the law. It is the home advisor's responsibility to ensure that, not to work for an understanding or compromise.
Then let's come to the last remark of our reader friend. The society where journalists remain silent, where human rights activists accept wrongdoings in silence, is a society where mob culture flourishes. It is not just the common people who are victims, members of the law enforcement are victims of this culture too. According to Prothom Alo reports, over the last six months, 225 incidents of attacks on police have taken place.
On the night of 28 February, miscreants ripped the uniform of a policeman at Outer Ring Road in Patenga, Chattogram. A video of the incident went viral on social media when it was seen SI Yusuf Ali's uniform had been torn. He was crying helplessly. Speaking to Prothom Alo on Monday, he said, "When they ripped my police uniform, I was overcome with emotion and broke into tears."
When members of the law enforcement are not safe from mobs, where will the common people go? From whom will they seek justice?
* Sohrab Hassan is joint editor of Prothom Alo and a poet
* This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir