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the Kushtia episode to prevent a recurrence.

“This is being seen very seriously. We will take action. Zero tolerance means zero tolerance,” he said, adding that he had spoken to the home minister about the matter.

No one is allowed to take the law into their own hands regardless of the allegations against any individual.

“The power to enforce the law belongs to the state alone.”

People can question a pir or feel angry about someone’s remarks, but they cannot punish a person on their own even if they believe the government has failed to act, he said.

Drawing a broader comparison, he said the public has no right to assault a thief, pickpocket, or robber even if they are caught red-handed.

“Even if you catch a robber red-handed, they cannot be beaten to death. Leave aside killing, they should not even be beaten.”

The tendency towards mob violence did not emerge overnight.

“Rather, such incidents had been encouraged during the interim period, creating a dangerous perception that people can punish others themselves.”

Asked whether action against incidents during the interim government period could have helped prevent present-day mob attacks, Zahed said many such incidents were not spontaneous acts but planned actions carried out in the name of mobs.

A mob is usually a spontaneous and unstructured reaction. But in recent times, there has been a tendency to organise gatherings to attack or surround particular places.

There had been cases where people were told to surround a newspaper office or someone’s house and described those as planned acts.

“The Kushtia incident was also planned. Criminal offences do not become time-barred and remain offences even after 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.”

He, however, said that during and after a mass uprising, situations remain fluid and there can be debate in society over how certain incidents should be viewed.

A panel of lawyers is being formed under the information ministry to examine how action could be taken against misinformation and disinformation.

“Spreading fake news is a crime,” he said, adding that presenting misinformation or disinformation as news, or making fake photo cards using the logos of well-known channels, cannot be accepted.

The government will move step by step.

“First, we will warn those involved. If they still do not stop, legal action will be taken,” he said.

Chief Information Officer Yeakub Ali and other senior officials were present.