Chief Prosecutor Tajul cautions over ‘mob’ label for July Uprising, CPB’s Ruhin Prince calls remarks a threat

Debate erupts over use of “mob” to describe July Uprising

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has warned against using the word “mob” to describe the July Uprising, saying it risks questioning the legitimacy of the movement.

Speaking at a policy dialogue on “Judicial Independence and Rule of Law” organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at Dhaka’s CIRDAP auditorium on Sunday, Tajul said the term should be used with caution.

“You cannot equate the fall of Bastille with street looters. Attempts to question the revolution must be avoided,” he said.

His remarks drew sharp criticism from other speakers. BNP leader Nilufar Chowdhury said, “He told us not to call it a mob, but whatever we call it, the reality remains. Justice has not been delivered.”

Former CPB general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince described Tajul’s comments as a “threat”.

“You want rule of law but incite mobs? That cannot work in Bangladesh,” he said.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Shamim Haider Patwary also spoke, saying mobs had once been tolerated but were now undermining institutions.

The debate follows earlier remarks by Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, who last year described mobs as “pressure groups”.

CGS President Zillur Rahman, moderating the event, warned that legitimising mobs had already led to incidents such as attacks on newspapers.