The New Hampshire House of Representatives has introduced House Resolution 11 (HR 11), calling on the United States government to investigate serious allegations of human rights abuses in Bangladesh. The resolution, prompted by ongoing unrest and minority persecution in the South Asian country, highlights the alleged actions of Muhammad Yunus’s interim government, which assumed power following a political coup in early 2024.
- Allegations Against Yunus’s Interim Government
HR 11 accuses the interim government of systematic and widespread abuses, targeting religious minorities and dismantling the secular legacy of Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman:
• Attacks on Religious Sites: More than 50 sites of worship, including prominent shrines such as the Shah Paran shrine in Sylhet and the Dewanbagh shrine in Narayanganj, have been set ablaze or destroyed. These attacks have led to multiple fatalities, injuries, and irreparable cultural losses.
• Cultural and Historical Erasure: National holidays commemorating Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangabandhu) have been canceled, while institutions and monuments honoring him have been renamed or dismantled. These actions appear to target Bangladesh’s secular identity and promote a more fundamentalist narrative.
• Extrajudicial Killings: Members of the Awami League, police officials, and activists opposing the interim regime have reportedly been killed in extrajudicial actions, raising concerns about the government’s suppression of dissent.
- Why New Hampshire Took This Initiative
New Hampshire lawmakers, led by sponsors such as Rep. Khan, Rep. D. Thomas, and Sen. Lang, were compelled to act after analyzing reports of persecution in Bangladesh. The resolution reflects the state’s recognition of its role in pressing the federal government to confront human rights abuses worldwide.
Rep. Khan, one of the chief architects of the resolution, said, “New Hampshire may be small, but our values compel us to speak out against oppression wherever it occurs. The targeted attacks on Bangladesh’s religious minorities by Yunus’s regime are not only a Bangladeshi issue—they’re a global human rights issue.”
The state legislature’s State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee framed the resolution as an urgent appeal to Congress, the White House, and the U.S. State Department to hold the interim Bangladeshi government accountable. Lawmakers argue that the return of extremism in Bangladesh threatens democracy, religious harmony, and international stability.
- Geopolitical Implications
The ongoing persecution of minorities under Yunus’s government risks destabilizing South Asia as a whole. Bangladesh, surrounded by India, Myanmar, and the Bay of Bengal, sits in a geopolitically sensitive region.
If fundamentalist policies continue unchecked, analysts warn of escalating regional tensions. Religious and ethnic unrest could spill over into neighboring countries, heightening disputes in already volatile border regions. Further destabilization in Bangladesh would disrupt economic trade routes, migration management, and regional cooperation efforts, particularly with India and other South Asian nations.
HR 11 acknowledges these broader consequences, with New Hampshire urging U.S. intervention to not only safeguard Bangladesh’s sovereignty but to prevent a cascading destabilization of South Asia’s fragile political balance.
- Broader Implications
The allegations against Bangladesh’s interim government evoke painful memories of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, during which religious minorities—particularly Hindus—were subjected to ethnic cleansing by militant forces aligned with anti-sovereignty factions.
Similar patterns of violence are now resurfacing, suggesting a systematic attempt by militant forces to undermine Bangladesh’s secular foundation. Analysts fear that unless immediate action is taken, Bangladesh faces the real possibility of civil war. Such an outcome would generate massive unrest, displace millions, and fundamentally threaten the country’s sovereignty and democratic existence.
Opinion
As HR 11 highlights, the ongoing minority oppression in Bangladesh under Yunus’s regime mirrors the brutal atrocities faced by Hindus during the 1971 war. The same militant forces that opposed Bangladesh’s independence appear to be at work once more, intent on destabilizing the nation. These forces, many of whom were directly linked to the Pakistani military or militant factions backed by Pakistan, were involved in the ethnic cleansing that sought to crush the nascent Bangladeshi nation’s independence. Today, these militants are resurfacing under a different guise, intent on targeting religious minorities, especially Hindus, and dismantling Bangladesh’s secular values in a new wave of extremism.
If this persecution continues unchecked, Bangladesh risks descending into civil unrest on a scale that could destroy its sovereignty and democratic existence. This turmoil could have catastrophic consequences not only for Bangladesh but for the South Asian region as a whole. Furthermore, Pakistan’s role in backing certain extremist factions in Bangladesh could be viewed as an attempt to weaken the country and revive a narrative that favors religious extremism over secular democracy.
By introducing HR 11, New Hampshire has not only brought this dire issue into focus but also sent a powerful message: the world must act now to defend justice, democracy, and the rights of minorities before it’s too late. The international community must stand united against this form of aggression, which seeks to erase not only the secular fabric of Bangladesh but also its rich cultural and religious diversity.
The parallels between the current crisis and the 1971 genocide cannot be ignored. Both periods of violence are marked by the same destructive forces, including extremist factions with deep ties to Pakistani interests, and the same target—Bangladesh’s minorities and its democratic identity. If the world fails to act decisively, we risk a repetition of history—one that would result in tremendous loss of life, displacement, and a region plunged into greater instability.
Now is the time for the world to hold the interim government in Bangladesh accountable and ensure that this devastating cycle of violence is brought to an end, before it spirals completely out of control.
Deepanwita Martin, Sub Editor The Voice news