Bangladesh’s interim government, led by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, should urgently act to protect human rights.
Soon after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and left the country, tens of thousands of Bangladeshis celebrated the end of her repressive rule. In some places, however, celebrations turned violent, with hundreds killed or injured as demonstrators sought reprisals against those perceived to have supported Hasina’s government.
Rioters burned down historical structures and targeted members of Hasina’s Awami League party. In several districts around the country, members of the Hindu community, which is generally considered to have largely backed the Awami League, were violently attacked, their homes torched, temples vandalized, and shops looted. There were also reports of attacks against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and ethnic minorities.
A Hindu businessman in the city of Tangail told Human Rights Watch that “while the crowd was celebrating Hasina’s fall, some crowd members suddenly started attacking the businesses nearby, including my shop.” An Awami League politician in Jessore said that “soon after the news spread in my neighborhood that Sheikh Hasina had fled the country, our businesses and houses were targeted by rioters. They were venting their anger by chanting against Sheikh Hasina and Awami League leaders.”
In many places, Muslim clerics, students, and community leaders came out to protect Hindu temples and Christian churches, while political leaders, as well as student protest organizers, called for calm.
Rioters have frequently targeted and attacked members of the police, who are widely despised for years of rampant human rights abuses, including during the protest that led to Hasina’s resignation. Mohammad Mainul Islam, the police chief, publicly apologized for “unprofessional officers” who “did not follow the accepted principles of applying force, and violated human rights.” He has pledged accountability.
Yunus has urged Bangladeshis to refrain from reprisals and violence. “Violence is our enemy,” he said. “Be calm and get ready to build the country.”
Authorities should ensure minorities are protected and the rule of law respected. They also need to ensure that the police and other law enforcement agencies do not escalate or contribute to the violence. The interim government, once in place, should take up the United Nations’ offer to establish an independent investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible for past human rights violations as well as violations during the recent violence, which will be crucial to rebuilding faith in Bangladesh’s justice system.
