No One Keeps Their Word

During the tenure of the interim government, people with differing opinions lived in fear of mob violence. For many, that period feels like a nightmare. After stepping down, the interim government’s legal advisor and law professor, Asif Nazrul, openly admitted, “We failed to control mob violence.” People did not warmly accept this simple confession. Instead, they condemned it. Failure is never something people celebrate.

After the current government came to power, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed declared that mob violence would no longer occur. People trust his personality, seriousness, and intellect. They felt reassured and breathed a sigh of relief.

However, even under this government, we have witnessed incidents of mob violence. Though fewer than during the interim period, such incidents have still taken place.

When Rumin Farhana raised this issue in parliament, the Home Minister was seen attempting to clarify these violent incidents, discussing how to categorize them—whether they should be called “mob violence” or “terrorist acts.”

Recently, in Daulatpur, Kushtia, a group of extremists incited the public by spreading a fragment of a pir’s speech, leading to an attack on a shrine. The mob vandalized and looted the site. Pir Shamim Reza was brutally beaten, hacked, and killed.

Regarding this incident, the Prime Minister’s information advisor, Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, echoed the Home Minister’s tone, stating that “the Kushtia incident was not a mob attack, but rather a planned act.”

You may choose to call it something else. You may categorize it differently. But another brutal killing has taken place. The nation has once again witnessed a horrific act of violence. Does changing its label absolve anyone of responsibility?

The advisor also stated that the incident was premeditated—something most people agree with. If it was indeed pre-planned rather than spontaneous, then the failure becomes even more severe.

It is no secret that the attack was carefully orchestrated. The extremist group strategically revived a fragment of a 2021 speech by Shamim Reza and spread it among the public to incite outrage. Before the attack, they posted on Facebook to gather crowds, organized processions, and then carried out the assault.

The administration was aware of the preparations for the attack. Police were even stationed at the shrine. Yet they failed to stop the frenzied crowd. The authorities claim they did not have sufficient force on site. But the question remains—who will take responsibility for this failure?

Later, however, the police took a strong stance in the same area to prevent a possible attack on the home of Baul practitioner Shafi Mondol. This helped restore some public confidence in the administration. Still, the question remains: why was such a strong preventive measure not taken earlier to protect Shamim Reza’s shrine?

The allegation against Shamim Reza was that he had insulted religion. I am also a Muslim. If anyone insults Islam, Allah, or His Messenger (peace be upon him), it deeply hurts me as well. But even if someone truly commits such an offense, there are laws and courts to deal with it. Since legal provisions exist for blasphemy and hurting religious sentiments, taking the law into one’s own hands cannot be a sign of a civilized society. Moreover, extrajudicial killings are not permitted by any constitution in the world, nor by Islam.

In fact, Shamim Reza had already faced a similar charge in 2021 and served time in prison. If he repeated the same actions after his release, legal action could have been taken again. If found guilty, the court would have punished him accordingly. But neither you nor I have the right to act as judge and carry out such violence. This is not the teaching of Allah or His Messenger. It is not the teaching of Islam. Who will explain to these people that such actions only defame Islam? These acts are nothing but attempts to tarnish the image of this মহান religion.

According to news reports, no one has yet been arrested in connection with the Kushtia killing. Whether it is labeled a planned attack or mob violence, it is essential that the perpetrators be brought to justice. Local journalists have reported seeing one of the accused openly roaming in the area. People are demanding maximum administrative action. Swift arrests and proper punishment would help restore the administration’s damaged image.

However, one thing is clear—governments repeatedly demonstrate failure. They make promises but do not keep them, or fail to fulfill them. People continue to trust them, and each time that trust is broken.

In this world, no one keeps their word. Yet people are accustomed to believing—because they must trust someone. The current government is not expected to do anything that shakes public confidence. The sooner effective steps are taken to prevent such brutality, the better it will be for both the nation and the government.