Shashi Tharoor Condemns Bangladesh Violence, Says Mob Rule Must Not Prevail

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, strongly condemned the surge of violence in Bangladesh on December 20, 2025, stating that "mob rule should not prevail" amid unrest triggered by the death of activist Sharif Osman Hadi. Speaking in Patna, Tharoor expressed deep concern over mobs vandalising public property, attacking media outlets, and lynching a Hindu man, emphasising the need for peace and a return to democracy in the neighbouring country ahead of the February 2026 elections.

The violence erupted following Hadi's death on December 18 in Singapore, where he was treated after being shot by masked assailants in Dhaka on December 12. Protests quickly escalated, with mobs torching offices of prominent newspapers like Prothom Alo and The Daily Star—acts Tharoor described as assaults on press freedom and pluralism. In a separate incident, a Hindu factory worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched and his body set on fire in Mymensingh over alleged blasphemy allegations, prompting Tharoor to call it an "unbearably tragic" example of mob rule while acknowledging the interim government's condemnation and arrests.

Tharoor highlighted broader implications, noting disruptions to Indian visa services at Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi due to security threats, affecting students, patients, and families seeking cross-border travel. He stressed that the Parliamentary Committee advocates constructive engagement with Bangladesh for regional stability, warning that ongoing intolerance and violence undermine the democratic transition under interim leader Muhammad Yunus.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor Warns Bangladesh Violence Limits India’s Help, Invokes Vajpayee

As Bangladesh grapples with this latest wave of unrest—months after the 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina—Tharoor urged the interim administration to protect journalists, secure diplomatic missions, and foster dialogue to ensure voices are heard through ballots rather than intimidation, underscoring shared interests in bilateral peace.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor Warns Bangladesh Violence Limits India’s Help, Invokes Vajpayee