Washington: Human rights advocates, journalists, and community leaders warned that targeted violence against religious minorities and the exclusion of major political forces from Bangladesh’s election risk pushing the country toward what speakers called a “cataclysmic disaster,” urging urgent international action to protect minority rights and democratic freedoms.
Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club, organizers said the election, due within days, was being held without participation from a broad opposition alliance, leaving millions without a voice and minorities increasingly vulnerable.
“We are not here to advocate for one political party over another,” said Dalip Nath, author, human rights defender, and political activist.
“But what we are concerned about is the following — 14 party coalitions that are not participating in this election. They comprised about 65 per cent of the population of the country,” he added, “When you suppress voting rights, very fundamental rights, we are undermining democracy.”
Several speakers said the political exclusion coincided with a sharp rise in attacks on religious and ethnic minorities, journalists, and activists.
Dr Dwijen Bhattacharjee, president Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian Unity Council, described Bangladesh as home to “170 million people” with “20 million” belonging to religious minorities who are “particularly vulnerable.”
Addressing reporters, Amar Khayam Islam, former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh, said the gathering aimed to avert “a cataclysmic disaster that has been designed, designed to take place in two days in Bangladesh,” referring to the election timeline. “Can we do that? That we don’t know, but we can try,” he said.
Speakers cited what they described as systematic intimidation of political opponents and minorities, including arrests, custodial deaths and widespread fear. One participant said, “Killing mob violence has become virtually a norm,” alleging that police officers, religious minorities and political leaders were being incarcerated daily.
Journalists who have fled Bangladesh or are working under pressure detailed what they called an unprecedented clampdown on press freedom. “Freedom of the press is a prerequisite for democracy, but today the press is imprisoned,” Farida Yasmin, former president of National Press Club, Dhaka said.
“Nearly 300 journalists are facing murder charges. Journalists’ accreditation cards have been canceled. Their bank accounts have been frozen, and their families are being harassed.”
She warned that fear and intimidation had forced reporters into self-censorship, leaving coverage of both the election and violence “one sided.” “A free and independent press is not a political favor; it is a fundamental pillar of democracy and justice,” she said.
Women’s rights advocates said extremist rhetoric and exclusion of women candidates pointed to a broader rollback of gender equality. “We cannot let (the authorities) take away rights from our mother, from our sister,” Soraya M Deen, a lawyer and interfaith activist, said, warning that religious extremism threatened women’s participation in public life.
Musa Ibne Mannan, survivor of assassination attempts and mob attacks, describing the crisis as “not a regional problem only” but one with global implications. “It is a clash of civilizations,” he said, arguing that religious minorities, secular voices, and dissenting Muslims were all at risk.
Organizers called for international monitoring, independent investigations into attacks on minorities, and diplomatic pressure tied to human rights benchmarks. “Evil prevails when good people do nothing,” Priya Saha, president of the South Asian Minorities Collective, said, urging governments to speak out.
(IANS)
