Unruly elements running amok in Bangladesh… Yunus can't just wring his hands: Shashi Tharoor

Indian lawmaker Shashi Tharoor has described the current situation in Bangladesh as a "mobocracy" or "ochlocracy," warning that growing lawlessness and violence risk undermining democratic processes if not addressed through firm action.

In an interview with the Indian Express, Tharoor said the country is facing a situation in which "the street is running the government or bypassing it," following unrest triggered by a student-led revolt.

He described the groups involved as a mix of unruly and lawless elements, criminals released from prison and empowered Islamist groups such as Jamaat-e-Islami, saying they are "on the loose" and "running amok."

Tharoor pointed to incidents of large-scale arson, attacks on media outlets and what he described as extreme acts of violence, including the lynching of a Hindu man. He said the killing stemmed from a false accusation of blasphemy linked to a work-related dispute, which he cited as evidence of rising intolerance.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, has failed to respond decisively, Tharoor said, acting instead as a "helpless observer." He said authorities appeared to be "pleading with these people to behave," "wring[ing] its hands" and issuing condemnations rather than taking "decisive steps" or "concrete action" to restore order.

"It is not enough" to apologise or issue statements, Tharoor said, arguing that those responsible for serious crimes must face "exemplary punishment" to prevent violence from becoming a recurring pattern.

Tharoor also criticised what he called the interim government's apparent reluctance to use force to rein in mobs, suggesting Yunus may lack the "appetite" to do so after witnessing how former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's attempts to curb street protests escalated and contributed to her removal from power.

He said the prevailing atmosphere has allowed student leaders to deliver inflammatory speeches to crowds of thousands, including threats to "cut off India from its seven northeastern states," adding that such rhetoric was becoming associated with forces backing the interim administration.

Tharoor warned that "free and fair elections" would not be possible if voters were "intimidated by lawlessness and violence."

He likened the situation to a ship whose crew has mutinied, with the captain merely asking them to return to their posts. Until real authority is asserted, he said, the ship remains driven by the whims of the mutineers rather than a defined course.

While describing Yunus as a "respected figure across the world," Tharoor said the current approach was insufficient given the gravity of the situation, warning that failure to act more firmly would allow what he called "mobocracy" to persist.