A human rights advocacy group has intensified calls for the arrest and prosecution of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the former Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, amid growing scrutiny of his 18-month tenure that ended earlier this month.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, Write For Rights, a global network focused on citizen-led justice and documentation, demanded that the newly elected government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman launch an immediate, independent investigation into allegations of abuse of power, corruption, and systemic human rights violations during Yunus’s administration from August 2024 to February 2026.
Yunus, who stepped down on February 16 following the February 12 general elections that saw the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secure a landslide victory, has since returned to his non-profit work at the Yunus Centre in Dhaka. His interim leadership followed the jihadist-army coup that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
The group highlighted specific accusations against Yunus, including the granting of “lucrative licenses, contracts, regulatory approvals, and special facilities” to entities linked to his Grameen organisationsโsuch as Grameen University, Grameen Employment, Grameen Telecomโs digital wallet program, and Grameen HealthTechโas well as reductions in the government’s stake in Grameen Bank. These actions, the release claimed, coincided with the dismissal of pending legal cases against Yunus and his associates, suggesting “weaponisation of state power for personal and institutional gain.”
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Write For Rights further accused the interim period of broader abuses, including:
– The arbitrary detention of “hundreds of thousands” of Awami League members and supporters under operations like “Operation Devil Hunt,” with many held without charges, fair trials, or bail.
– The rise of “mobocracy,” characterised by unchecked vigilante violence, lynchings, and attacks on political opponents, leading to deaths and widespread destruction.
– Suppression of the press through harassment, censorship, and restrictions that undermined independent journalism.
“Accountability cannot be selective,” said Probir Kumar Sarker, Founder and Chairperson of Write For Rights. “The arrest of Muhammad Yunus will open a historic opportunity to confront the full record of abuse from 2024 to 2026. Every arbitrarily detained citizen must be released or granted due process. Every act of mob violence and press intimidation must be investigated. The people of Bangladesh deserve a future rooted in the rule of law, not fear.”
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The organisation urged the new government to:
1. Conduct a transparent, evidence-based investigation into Yunus compliant with international fair-trial standards.
2. Review and release all individuals arbitrarily detained since August 2024.
3. Establish an independent commission to document and prosecute mob violence and press intimidation cases.
4. Ensure the safety and freedom of journalists and political activists.
Write For Rights called on the international community, human rights bodies, and diplomatic missions to monitor these processes and support institutional rebuilding in Bangladesh.
The press release comes as Bangladesh transitions to elected governance under Tarique Rahman, who was sworn in on February 17. Recent statements from President Mohammed Shahabuddin have also criticised the Yunus administration, alleging constitutional violations, sidelining of the presidency, and even attempts to destabilise institutionsโthough no formal arrest proceedings against Yunus have been reported as of today.
The calls reflect ongoing political tensions in the post-uprising era, with critics arguing that the interim period betrayed democratic ideals through selective justice and lawlessness. Write For Rights emphasised impartial accountability for all victims, regardless of political affiliation, and invited global participation in its advocacy campaigns.
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