Bangladesh: interim government must take 'concrete action' to address injustices toward minorities

Hindus, Ahmadis and other minority communities have been targeted since Sheikh Hasina’s resignation 

‘Revenge culture’ needs to end - Babu Ram Pant

Responding to a statement yesterday from the interim Bangladeshi government’s new chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus addressing the minority Hindu community in the country, Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s South Asia Deputy Director, said:

“The call for ensuring human rights and freedom of expression for all is a welcome first step by the interim government in Bangladesh but it must be urgently followed up by concrete actions to ensure justice, reparations and guarantee of non-recurrence.

“Amnesty International urges the Bangladeshi authorities to conduct a swift, thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the crimes against Hindu, Ahmadi and other minority communities - and associated incidents of mob violence - and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted in fair and transparent trials.

“The new interim government must ensure the rights to equality, non-discrimination and bodily integrity of everyone and bring an end to the revenge culture of attacking political opponents that Bangladesh has witnessed in the past. 

“Time and again, incidents of mob violence, disinformation and the failure of the state to protect minorities and provide access to justice to survivors have continued to destroy the lives of minority communities living in Bangladesh.”

Yesterday’s address by Muhammad Yunus follows reports of attacks on houses, places of worship, and business establishments of religious minorities such as Hindus and Ahmadis after the resignation of the previous Sheikh Hasina government. Amnesty has previously documented repeated attacks against minorities in Bangladesh.