Md Mukhlesur Rahman: Whenever a heinous crime occurs, a wave of anger, hatred, and desire for revenge sweeps across the nation. From social media platforms to public spaces, the same demands echo everywhere: “We want immediate justice,” “The criminal must be punished publicly,” “No more lengthy legal procedures.” Some demand public executions, others call for stoning to death, while some even advocate allowing the public to take the law into their own hands.

In today’s reality, these emotions cannot simply be dismissed. When crimes are brutal, public conscience is naturally shaken to its core. Incidents involving the rape and murder of children or horrific acts of violence do not devastate only one family—they traumatize an entire society. Many people have come to believe that the state has failed, the justice system is ineffective, and the law has become synonymous with delay.

But this is precisely where we must pause and ask ourselves an important question: do we merely want to remain an enraged mob, or do we want to be citizens of a civilized state?

A state is fundamentally a social contract. Individuals surrender their personal right to vengeance to the state in exchange for the assurance that justice will be delivered impartially. In return, citizens agree to obey the law. If this structure collapses and every individual becomes judge, executioner, and punisher, then the distinction between civilization and chaos disappears.

History bears witness that public brutality has never civilized societies; rather, it has normalized violence within the human psyche. In medieval Europe, people were publicly executed by guillotine. In the Roman Empire, the Colosseum transformed human killing into entertainment. The bodies of pirates were displayed publicly as warnings. Yet none of these brutal spectacles eradicated crime. Instead, societies gradually became desensitized to bloodshed, and justice was replaced by the frenzy of revenge.

One of the defining features of a civilized state is that justice is based on evidence, not emotion. “Justice hurried is justice buried.” The slow pace of judicial systems is undeniably frustrating, but even more dangerous is wrongful conviction. A civilized state may tolerate the possibility that many criminals escape punishment, but it cannot accept the punishment of even one innocent person.

There are numerous instances in our society where those initially presumed guilty were later proven innocent after proper investigation revealed the real perpetrators. In moments of collective outrage, public opinion often obscures the truth. This is why witness testimony, forensic analysis, DNA testing, CCTV footage, and other forms of evidence are indispensable. Even Islamic Shariah law imposes strict evidentiary standards before punishment can be carried out. Fourteen hundred years ago, when modern technology did not exist, punishment without proof was not permitted; today, advanced technology offers even greater opportunities to ensure accurate justice.

Another deeply dangerous trend is vigilantism—the tendency of people to take the law into their own hands. Such tendencies emerge when public trust in the justice system erodes. But vigilantism is never a solution; rather, it is a symptom of a weakened state. Crowds driven by vengeance quickly cross the boundaries of justice and descend into disorder. The same public that picks up weapons against an alleged criminal today may tomorrow use those weapons against someone else out of personal hatred, misinformation, or mere suspicion.

The role of lawyers is equally important in this context. Legal professionals may naturally feel moral outrage in response to horrific crimes. However, the very foundation of the rule of law is that no one is guilty until proven so through due process. Every accused person has the right to legal representation. The strength of a justice system lies precisely in its willingness to provide even the most despised individual with a fair defense. Otherwise, justice becomes indistinguishable from revenge.

Today, society is deeply agitated. The public’s anger is real, and the pain is genuine. But it is precisely in such emotionally charged moments that wisdom, restraint, and unwavering faith in the rule of law become most essential. If we truly aspire to build a democratic, humane, and civilized state, we must strengthen the justice system rather than undermine it. Justice must be swift, but impartial; severe, but evidence-based; humane, but uncompromising.

Because revenge may offer temporary satisfaction, but only justice can sustain a state.

Md. Mukhlesur Rahman

(Islamic Economist, Social Thinker, and Human Rights Activist)