The South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) has expressed concern over attacks on minorities, women and other groups and mob violence in post-coup Bangladesh. Mass arrests in murder cases, denial of bail to the accused, and delays in the judicial process are further increasing the insecurity of the common people.
From a press conference on Wednesday, the organisation said that such a situation is raising concerns about the peaceful transfer of power through free and fair elections. They said that it is important to ensure a conducive environment for the elections by building public confidence as soon as possible to overcome the crisis.
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SAHR Executive Director Diksa Illangasinghe made these observations and suggestions at a press conference titled โA Year of Transition in Bangladeshโ at Drikpath Bhaban in Panthapath, on Wednesday afternoon. Also present at the press conference were Rashmi Goswami, co-chairman of SAHR; Sarup Ijaz, one of the organisation’s members; and Sayeed Ahmed, a member of the Bangladesh Bureau.
Three members of the organisation came to Bangladesh on August 28 to monitor the human rights situation in Bangladesh after the August 5 jihadist coup last year. They held meetings with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and other advisers, members of various reform commissions, civil society representatives and students.
SAHR Executive Director Diksa Illangasinghe said that the law and order in Bangladesh has visibly deteriorated since July last year. Due to the weakness of the public security system, the security forces have not been able to control mobs, revenge attacks and overall law and order.
Stating that the responsibility of the interim government is to ensure the security of all citizens, Diksa Illangasinghe said that urgent reforms are needed in the constitution, judiciary and law and order forces.
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Stating that the protection of minority communities, their assets and places of worship must be ensured, Diksa Illangasinghe said that the targeted attacks by security forces, religious groups and organised mobs on Hindus, Ahmadis, Sufis and other communities, indigenous people of the Chittagong Plains and Hill Tracts, gender-based minority communities and women are very worrying.
A total of nine observations and concerns were raised at the press conference. These include the continued application of repressive laws enacted during the previous authoritarian regime, continued attacks on freedom of expression, the deadlock in the National Human Rights Commission and the Information Commission, and the deepening polarisation and division within civil society.
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