A. R. Salauddin Ferdous

In our society, when falsehood takes the place of truth, justice begins to crumble. One of the most devastating forms of this collapse is false accusation—a curse that silently haunts its victim. It is a poison that destroys a person’s character without any evidence.

The history of false accusation is not new. From ancient literature to modern-day cinema and media, its shadow can be seen everywhere. Even an honest person can be made characterless in an instant with just a single fabricated word. While the path to establishing truth demands years of effort, sacrifice, and concrete evidence.

In Bangladesh’s social reality, false accusations have become disturbingly normalised. False accusation has now become an easy weapon to use to defeat political opponents, to ostracize someone from society due to personal enmity, and even in minor family disputes. Consider a person who is well-known and respected in their community. Without any valid reason, rumours begin to circulate: “He’s involved in corruption”, “He’s having an illicit affair with so-and-so”, or “His academic credentials are fake.” These things may never be proven. But until the truth comes out, that person is treated as guilty in the court of public opinion. And even when proven innocent, society rarely restores them to the dignity they once held.

False accusations do not merely harm individuals in isolation—they become far more dangerous when they inflame public sentiment and trigger mob behaviour. At times, these mobs turn violent, bypassing legal systems and taking justice into their own hands. In today’s digital age, when a rumour or false claim spreads on Facebook or other social media, it often leads to people physically attacking someone, damaging their home, or cutting them off from society—just because they believe the person is guilty. In several incidents in Bangladesh, innocent people have been beaten up by slanderers using terms such as "thief", "child snatcher", or "insulting religion", which ultimately resulted in death. However, it was later proven that the allegations were completely false.

Behind this terrible form of false accusations lies our ignorance, emotional judgement, and tendency to believe without verification. What makes it even more dangerous is that the architects of these lies often stay hidden in the shadows. They rarely accuse directly; instead, they incite others, stirring up emotional outrage and forming a collective mob to do their bidding. They know that it is difficult to blame alone, but if blame is imposed through the crowd, it becomes acceptable in society. As a result, many innocent people are socially condemned—not because of evidence, but because a lie, repeated enough and amplified by collective anger, begins to sound like truth.

In Islam, false accusation is considered one of the gravest sins. In Surah Noor of the Holy Quran, it is said that anyone who falsely slanders honest women and cannot produce four witnesses shall be punished with eighty lashes, and their testimony will never be accepted. Moreover, no religion condones false slander. Yet despite knowing this religious teaching, we live in a society today where slander and public anger are becoming the final decision, not justice.

Although false accusations are punishable by law, the slow and complicated judicial system in our country often leaves the perpetrators unpunished. This emboldens those who spread lies, teaching them to think, “I can get away with it.” Meanwhile, many who are incited by these falsehoods to join the mob rarely realize the gravity of the crime they are committing.

To change this situation, social awareness is first needed. People must be taught to verify the truth. The message that sharing false information is a crime must be spread. Techniques for identifying fake news must be taught through technical education. At the same time, swift and exemplary action must be taken against those who slander or spread lies. Society must send a clear and strong message: “False accusations and the mobs they create can never replace true justice.”

We must remember that false accusations do not just destroy an individual—they kill the conscience of an entire society. And mob-based violence makes that murder even more horrific. We must therefore stand up for the truth and free society from this shadow of lies. Otherwise, one day we too may become victims of a lie.

The writer is essayist and columnist

Former Student of the Department of Statistics,

Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Mymensingh.He can reached at emai ferdous5803@gmail.com