DHAKA, Aug 7: The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has raised serious concerns over the worsening human rights situation in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. In a report released on Thursday, RRAG described Bangladesh as a “land of anarchy,” pointing to a dramatic spike in lynchings, attacks on minorities, suppression of dissent, and the collapse of judicial and institutional structures.
According to RRAG Director Suhas Chakma, at least 637 individuals, including 41 police officers, were lynched between August 2024 and July 2025, compared to 51 lynching cases reported under the previous Sheikh Hasina-led government in 2023. This marks a staggering increase of 1,250%. Chakma warned that this trend of violence and disorder is likely to worsen in the lead-up to the promised elections.
The report highlights mass criminalization, with over 516,000 individuals named or unnamed in approximately 1,567 cases. Journalists have also come under fire, with 878 reportedly targeted, 51 cases filed, and 39 arrests made under the controversial Cyber Security Act of 2023. Additionally, 2,485 incidents of violence against religious and ethnic minorities were recorded during Yunus’s tenure.
The formal justice system has been severely undermined. The dismissal of 21 judges from the Supreme and High Courts and the removal of all members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have left the system dysfunctional. Despite the dismissal of the NHRC members in November 2024, no efforts have been made to restore the body, reflecting the interim government’s disregard for rights and accountability.
The report further notes restrictions on freedom of assembly, particularly against the Awami League and affiliated organizations, as well as indigenous groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Notably, indigenous people were attacked by illegal settlers and the military during a peaceful “March for Identity” in September 2024. Hindu priest Chinmoy Das was charged with sedition and later murder after leading a peaceful protest in Chittagong; he has remained imprisoned since November 2024.
RRAG criticizes the interim government’s constitutional reforms, which have excluded minority representatives and led to the recommendation of removing secularism from the constitution — a move seen as threatening religious freedom and protection for minorities.
The report concludes that the ongoing instability and exclusionary governance in Bangladesh pose a growing threat to regional peace and security in South Asia. (IANS)
