Opinion | Bangladesh Crises: Human rights and minorities violations

Violence against religious minorities, extrajudicial killings and restrictions on freedoms continue amid political transition following the 2024 ouster of Sheikh Hasina, with rights groups urging reforms ahead of February 12, 2026 elections and referendum on constitutional changes

Bangladesh continues to confront serious human rights challenges more than a year after the student-led uprising—widely known as the Monsoon Revolution or July Uprising—that compelled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India on August 5, 2024. Under the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, documented incidents of extrajudicial killings, mob violence, targeted attacks on minorities and curbs on media and expression persist, even as preparations advance for national elections and a referendum on constitutional reforms.

The problem started in June and July 2024 when people protested against a rule that said thirty per cent of jobs had to go to the children and grandchildren of people who fought in the 1971 liberation war. This rule seemed to help people who supported the Awami League. Soon people over the country were saying that they wanted an end to the government being too controlling to corruption and, to the country becoming less democratic. The police and army who work for the Hasina government used force to stop the protests. Some people got hurt. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) fact-finding report of February 2025 concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe state actors and affiliated groups committed systematic violations, including extrajudicial killings of up to 1,400 persons—many children—arbitrary arrests exceeding 11,700, widespread torture and acts potentially amounting to crimes against humanity.

The government of Hasina fell apart fast and this made a big problem because nobody was in charge. This led to a lot of trouble with the law and people started attacking each other. People who liked the Awami League, including Hindus and other religious groups were targeted. A lot of people think Hindus like the Awami League so they got attacked too.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International saw a lot of things happen after August 5 2024. There were riots, with fires, stealing and breaking things at homes, businesses and churches. Over 200 people died in these riots. The Awami League supporters were really scared. Many Muslims protected neighbours and condemned the violence, highlighting instances of inter-community solidarity.

While police investigations classified around 98 per cent of early incidents as politically motivated rather than purely communal, attacks on minorities continued into 2025-2026. Human Rights Watch’s World Report covering this period noted ongoing assaults on Hindus, Ahmadi Muslims and ethnic groups, including in the Chittagong Hill Tracts where Indigenous Jumma communities faced mob violence and military responses involving live ammunition. Ain o Salish Kendra documented 39 targeted incidents against minorities from January to October 2025.

Something bad happened on December 18 2025. A Hindu man named Dipu Chandra Das was killed by a crowd because people thought he did something to their religion. This shows how bad things can get when people make accusations and use strong words. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has seen hundreds of these kinds of things happen since the country changed governments. It is hard to know exactly how many. Official police data for January-December 2025 recorded 645 cases involving minority communities, categorising only 71 as communal—primarily involving temple vandalism or arson—while classifying 574 as criminal acts such as robbery, land disputes or personal enmities. The interim government has repeatedly condemned attacks, deployed security during festivals and pursued arrests in numerous cases.

Broader human rights issues remain acute. Ain o Salish Kendra reported 35 extrajudicial killings by state agencies, 165 mob lynchings and 28 custodial deaths in the first ten months of 2025. Journalists endured 351 harassment incidents, including 109 physical assaults. Gender-based violence increased markedly in the first half of 2025 compared with the previous year, with activists attributing the rise to restrictive religious discourse limiting women’s public roles. Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar camps continue to face dire living conditions, delayed repatriation and sporadic violence.

The interim administration has initiated accountability and reform measures. It invited the UN investigation, formed commissions to examine enforced disappearances, judicial misconduct, police practices and constitutional overhaul, and ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. A referendum on the “July Charter”—proposing significant constitutional reforms—is scheduled to coincide with general elections on February 12, 2026, aiming to address long-standing institutional weaknesses and restore democratic norms.

International responses include repeated Indian expressions of concern over attacks on Hindus, UN monitoring and calls from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for comprehensive security sector reform, independent probes into all abuses and stronger protections for vulnerable groups. Recommendations emphasise repealing repressive laws, ensuring transparent trials and promoting inclusive governance.

The situation reflects the intricate challenges of transitioning from prolonged authoritarian rule while confronting legacies of state repression, communal tensions and institutional fragility. Effective implementation of reforms, robust minority safeguards and impartial law enforcement will be essential to rebuild public confidence and avert further escalation as the country approaches the February 12, 2026 polls and referendum.

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