The international community has expressed growing concern over the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
During a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, speakers voiced alarm over threats to religious minorities and the rise of Islamic extremism under the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus.
Both the Awami League and human rights activists globally have condemned human rights abuses under Yunus’s administration, questioning a recent UNHRC report that allegedly downplayed the severity of the crisis.
At the 58th session of the UNHRC on Wednesday, a panel discussion examined the challenges facing religious minorities and the surge in Islamist terrorism in Bangladesh during Yunus’s rule.
Hasina has repeatedly warned of the growing militancy in the country, noting that extremist groups suppressed under her leadership are now operating with impunity.
International experts present at the Geneva discussion echoed her concerns.
Speakers argued that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the former Biden administration in the United States played a role in enabling Bangladesh’s decline.
They called for urgent global intervention to prevent the country, once known for its progress in women’s empowerment, poverty alleviation, and communal harmony, from descending into chaos.
The panel discussion, titled Human Rights Violations and the Rise of Islamic Extremism in Bangladesh, was jointly organised by the Tumuku Development and Cultural Union and the International Forum for Secular Bangladesh (Switzerland Branch).
Key participants included human rights activist Fazal-ur Rahman Afridi, representatives from the Tumuku Development and Cultural Union, journalist Kevin Lawrence, former British Conservative MP Paul Bristow, and investigative journalist and human rights activist Dr Raihan Rashid.
Dr Rashid, who visited Bangladesh in September last year, shared his experience of receiving death threats for reporting on abuses against religious minorities.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina faces fresh sedition case for 'online' remarks
He highlighted the brutal treatment of these communities, a crisis largely ignored by the international community.
“I’ve travelled to more than 40 countries, including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Nicaragua. But what I saw in Bangladesh was beyond horrifying. It’s alarming that these atrocities are being overlooked by the world. The lives of millions of innocent people and the future of the country are at serious risk,” Rashid said.
Speakers at the session pointed out that after the fall of Hasina's government, social media videos surfaced showing militants attacking the homes and offices of Awami League supporters.
Initially, these incidents drew little attention, but as videos emerged of attacks on ordinary citizens, the severity of the crisis became undeniable.
Journalists and activists noted that the Yunus government’s denial of these events exacerbated the suffering of religious minorities.
Rashid recounted his visit to a village where 17 homes and three temples were attacked.
He described how the victims were too fearful to speak out, as their safety was not ensured and police ignored their calls for help.
Another journalist, Kevin Lawrence, who visited Bangladesh in 2023, compared the situation before and after the 2024 uprising.
He said, “We saw Bangladesh differently then. Today, it has become a symbol of violence, torture, and a severe decline in the rule of law. The reports of beatings, killings, arrests, and the denial of basic freedoms—especially the freedom to speak out for minorities—are deeply disturbing.”
Human rights activist Fazal-ur Rahman Afridi drew attention to the widespread torture and extrajudicial killings of minorities in Bangladesh. He asserted that the country is experiencing a severe deterioration in human rights, with journalists being silenced, many detained, or forced into hiding.
He added that the judicial system has collapsed, justice is absent, and mob violence is rampant.
“Sexual violence has risen sharply, and over 100 individuals involved in terrorist activities have been released without consequence. More than 450 police stations have been attacked, further destabilising the country. Despite this, the UN Human Rights Office issued a flawed and one-sided report that overlooked the serious injustices and violations that occurred during Yunus's tenure,” he added.
Follow us
