In a strongly worded resolution adopted during its general meeting, the civil society platform Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee (GOC) has condemned what it described as authoritarian overreach, secretive decision-making, and actions detrimental to national sovereignty during the final days of the Jamaat-controlled Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
The meeting, held at 4:30pm on February 20 at the Sanskriti Bikash Kendra, was presided over by prominent economist Professor Anu Muhammad.
Participants fiercely criticised the Yunus government’s hasty and opaque signing of a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States on February 9, 2026, just days before the national elections.
They labelled the deal a “horrific conspiracy” designed to permanently chain Bangladesh economically, undermine its sovereignty, and subordinate it to US interests. The agreement, which reduced reciprocal tariffs to 19% on Bangladeshi exports while granting concessions on thousands of US products and incorporating geopolitical and national security clauses, was slammed as an unprecedented assault on national independence.
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Critics highlighted the appointment of former adviser Khallilur Rahman, who is accused of spearheading multiple agreements against national interests, to the foreign ministry portfolio, creating what they called an enormous risk for the country.
The committee demanded that any incoming elected government immediately withdraw from such “illegitimate” pacts signed without public consultation or parliamentary scrutiny.
The GOC resolution further called for the publication of a comprehensive white paper on the entire activities of the Yunus-led interim government to expose alleged misconduct, arbitrary actions, and deviations from public mandate. It also demanded judicial accountability and trials for individuals involved in decisions deemed contrary to national interests.
Addressing law and order concerns, speakers highlighted reports of post-election violence in various areas, including alleged organised gang rapes involving weapons. They urged thorough, impartial investigations into these incidents to ensure justice for victims.
A major focus was the prolonged arbitrary detention of numerous individuals, including the Bom community members detained under vague or fabricated charges. The committee condemned the indiscriminate and prolonged arrests without due process and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all such detainees.
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The Committee emphasised that the interim period, which began amid hopes for democratic restoration following the mass uprising, had instead devolved into unchecked executive actions, suppression of dissent, and decisions that prioritised external interests over Bangladesh’s welfare. They warned that failing to address these issues through transparency, accountability, and corrective measures risks eroding public trust and the hard-won gains of the July uprising.
The resolution concluded with a call for vigilance to protect democratic rights, sovereignty, and justice in the post-interim era.
Speakers included veteran organiser Dipa Dutta (a key figure from the 1969 mass uprising), researcher Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, writer Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed, Dr. Joydeep Bhattacharya, Sadarul Hasan Ripon, Mohsin Ali, Dr. Najmus Sakib, labour leader Satyajit Biswas, Iqbal Kabir, student alliance leader Dilip Ray, Rafiquzzaman Farid, Chhayedul Haque Nishan, lawyer Alauddin Ahmed, filmmaker Akram Khan, Rafsan Ahmed, activist Marzia Prova, and Fakhruddin Kabir Atik.
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