Role of Citizens in Establishing Rule of Law

When an untoward incident occurs in our respective areas, we constantly hurl harsh criticisms at the state, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. We claim there is no justice in the country, that laws are only for the poor, and that influentials are untouchable. But have we ever stood before the mirror of our own conscience and asked ourselves how much of our duty we are fulfilling as conscious citizens? The rule of law is not merely confined to the four walls of a courtroom, a judge’s verdict, or a police ledger. It is a continuous practice, a social culture that must originate from the family and society.
Driving on the wrong side of the road ignoring traffic signals, slipping a bribe under the table to get personal work done quickly, grabbing someone else’s land by showing the clout of power, or encroaching on footpaths for business each of these acts is a fatal blow to the heart of the rule of law. It is highly hypocritical for a citizen who breaks traffic laws to avoid a minor jam, or resorts to illegal means to serve their own interests, to lament the state’s lack of justice. We forget that the personal irresponsibility and moral degradation of citizens are precisely what gives birth to a corrupt system.
The biggest obstacles to establishing the rule of law are our mentality and our opportunistic silence in the face of injustice. When we witness an injustice in our area, how many of us protest? When a neighbour tortures his wife demanding dowry, we brush it off as a ‘family matter’. When an influential person grabs public land or the property of ordinary people, we turn a blind eye, thinking, “It’s not harming me”. This egocentric thinking has blinded us. Yet, the injustice invading someone else’s home today could very well knock on your door tomorrow. When criminals in a society see that people do not fear the law, or that ordinary citizens remain silent instead of seeking legal recourse against injustice, the roots of crime embed themselves much deeper into society. The rule of law is most easily trampled when citizens remain extremely apathetic about their rights and responsibilities.
Our legal responsibilities in establishing the rule of law are not insignificant either. According to Section 44 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), it is the legal duty of every citizen to report information about serious crimes committed in society to the police or a magistrate. We can apprehend a suspected criminal and hand them over to the police, but under no circumstances can we punish them. Taking the law into one’s own hands is not an act of heroism; rather, it is extreme ignorance and a terrifying crime under the Penal Code. Every person participating in mob justice can be considered a murderer or an attacker in the eyes of the law. Therefore, we must take steps driven not by emotion, but by deep respect for the law.
Beyond the physical streets, this responsibility now extends into the digital realm. In today’s era of widespread internet access, the rule of law is frequently violated online through cyberbullying, character assassination and the rapid spread of rumours. Sharing false information or inciting digital mobs is simply another modern iteration of vigilantism. As citizens, practicing digital obedience and verifying facts before sharing is a crucial component of upholding justice. Furthermore, we must recognise that a nation’s economic progress and international standing are inextricably linked to its legal stability. Foreign investments, economic growth and poverty alleviation thrive only in environments where the rule of law is robust and predictable. A society plagued by lawlessness and corruption can never achieve sustainable development, no matter how much infrastructural progress it makes.
To foster this widespread legal literacy, basic knowledge of our constitutional rights and the penal system must be integrated into our primary educational curriculum. The law should not remain an exclusive subject for law students; it must become common knowledge for the everyday citizen. The state aside, every citizen must become a guardian of the law. We must internalise the legal and humane etiquette of not pronouncing anyone guilty until proven otherwise. If a minor dispute or crime occurs in the neighbourhood, it must be reported to law enforcement immediately. Alongside this, the youth must play a pioneering role in providing legal aid and raising awareness among the masses. Through awareness campaigns or public discussions in every neighbourhood, the fundamental aspects of the law can be brought directly to the doorsteps of ordinary people.
Rule of law is not some divine gift dropped from the sky. It is the harvest of every citizen’s daily practice. We must remember that the prerequisite for building a disciplined, safe and egalitarian state is the citizens’ unconditional respect for the law. To build a beautiful society, one cannot simply stare at the police or the courts; citizens must be equally accountable to the law alongside the state machinery. Let the change begin with ourselves, with our own mindset and within our own localities. Let the very hands that once tended to break the law now take a firm oath to protect it. Only then, perhaps, will our future generations inherit a Bangladesh where the law is equal for all, and the rule of law is the primary driving force of society.