Sajjad Hossain Sabuj
Washington DC, April 25, 2025 – Political analysts and human rights activists at a press conference in Washington DC have called upon the international community to help restore democracy in Bangladesh and stop violence, human rights violations against the opposition political parties and minority people.
The 180 million people of Bangladesh are witnessing massive violence, corruption, human rights violation and rise of Islamist terrorism sponsored by the current interim government led by Dr. Muhammed Yunus, they said, adding that the consequence of these issues will not only affect Bangladesh, but also the region and entire world.
The rights activists also warned that Bangladesh may face instability similar to that experienced by Iran and Afghanistan if the current situation is not addressed by the international community.
Bangladesh Human Rights Watch which promotes democracy, secularism and human rights in Bangladesh arranged the press conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC on Wednesday. The title of the event was “The Rise of Islamist radicalism, Human Rights Violation and Corruption by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus”.
Valiant freedom fighter, political analyst and Ekushey Award winning academician Dr Nurun Nabi presided and moderated the press conference, while political analysts and human rights activists Engineer Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, Dr Dilip Nath and Rana Hassan Mahmud and former diplomat and academician Arifa Rahman Ruma spoke at the press conference.
Dr Nurun Nabi, in his speech, highlighted the grave picture of continued violence, human rights violations and atrocities against the opposition political leaders and activists, minority people, journalists, cultural activists, free thinkers in Bangladesh since grabbing of power by the current interim government led by Dr Yunus.
Over 180 million people of Bangladesh are now facing rampant violence, lawlessness, corruption, human rights violation and rise of Islamist terrorism sponsored by the current interim government, he said.
Drawing the attention of international community to address these issues to save the people of Bangladesh, Dr Nabi said the current illegitimate administration is conspiring to cling to power by delaying elections. “We are afraid that if Dr Yunus remains in power, he will accomplish his mission in converting Bangladesh to a failed state like Afghanistan,” he added.
Engineer Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, in his address, elaborately discussed the corruption, money laundering and other irregularities committed by Dr Muhammad Yunus when he was the managing director of Grameen Bank.
He said Dr Yunus is a covered face of notorious corruption, money launderer, blood suckers of the poorest, patronizer of the Islamic Jihadists and the Western world’s puppet.
Siddiqui said Dr Yunus misled Western donors and policymakers through his crooked acts and became billionaire himself. After capturing power through conspiracy, Muhammad Yunus is now ruining the potential economy, peace, harmony and prosperity of the 180 million people of Bangladesh, he said.
Dr Dilip Nath focused on the killing and torture of the minority people particularly Hindus, torching, vandalizing and looting their houses since the changeover of the government on August 5 last year.
Dr Yunus meticulously planned to establish Islamic Caliphate in Bangladesh, which radical Islamists eventually want to expand by annexing parts of India and Myanmar, Dr Dilip Nath said. They are out to completely eliminate the remaining 18 million religious and ethnic minority Hindus, Buddhists, Christians through violence, thus destroying the pluralistic nature of the population, he added.
Rana Hasan Mahmud, in his keynote speech, said Bangladesh, under the leadership of Dr. Yunus, has become a nation where lives are in constant danger, liberty shackled, and the pursuit of happiness remains a distant dream.
As many as 327 journalists have been charged, including in murder and other cases, while more than 1,000 journalists and media workers have been dismissed nationwide from their workplace during the period, Rana said.
He said Dr. Yunus provided blanket indemnity to all those who were involved in the so-called July movement starting from July 15 till August 8. This includes the timeframe where hundreds of innocent students were killed as well as the brutal killing of hundreds of law enforcement officials.
Arifa Rahman Ruma said Bangladesh stands at the edge of a precipice, as mob rule is supplanting due process, academic freedom is under siege, and law enforcement has become an instrument of repression rather than protection.
She noted extremists’ attacks and vandalism against educators, women, religious minorities, and cultural institutions and shrines with impunity and indifferent attitude of the interim government. If these attacks on democratic values go unchecked, Bangladesh will cease to be a nation of pluralism and tolerance, Ruma warned.