With the tenure of the interim government almost at an end, among the most notable, and indeed disappointing, stories from this government’s time has been its failure to protect citizens as a result of mob killings.
According to the Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), at least 21 people were killed in mob attacks in January alone, double the toll of December. With Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reporting that at least 197 people were killed in mob violence throughout 2025, and with 128 deaths in 2024, we cannot help but take such numbers as evidence of a society that has normalized lawlessness.We must also state that the interim government’s apathy and inaction in the face of such carnage have only emboldened these perpetrators. Over the past year and a half, they have all but failed to enforce accountability – and it has allowed mob justice to thrive.
It is only when citizens believe the courts and police will not protect them that they turn to vigilantism and the interim government’s inability – or unwillingness – to confront this breakdown of trust and law and order has left our country teetering.
As such, the incoming government must treat mob violence as a national priority. From strengthening policing and judicial accountability to launching public awareness campaigns to restore confidence in lawful justice, it must do all it can.
Left unchecked, mob killings will continue to erode the legitimacy of institutions, fuel communal tensions, and normalize violence as a tool of social control.
Bangladesh cannot aspire to democracy or development while mobs dictate justice. The normalization of mob justice is arguably the present administration’s greatest failure. The new one must not repeat the same mistakes.
