International community urged to stand up to the ongoing violence in Bangaldesh

News desk
shottobani

Press release: International human rights activists and legal experts have urged all the global democratic forces to stand up for millions of victims including minorities, journalists and free thinkers who fell prey to the ongoing wave of persecution unleashed by Dr Yunus since taking charge of as head of the interim regime in Bangladesh at a press conference held on 1 April at the Geneva Press Club, Switzerland, organised by the All European Freedom Fighters Council.

The panel members at the press conference said that the silence from international rights bodies and democracies over the current repression of dissenters and minorities by the Yunus regime is a betrayal of the global cause of making human rights universal. Speakers also pointed out that with their silence, all democratic countries are only emboldening Yunus and abetting in the persecution of dissenters over the past seven months.

Highlighting a wave of heart-stricken ordeals of journalists and liberal thinkers who are attacked and framed in false cases, they also pointed out a glaring absence of the rule of law and the rise of mob rule, alongside state patronage of radical forces, has become the hallmark of Yunus’s seven-month rule.

Alarmed at the ongoing assault on the syncretic culture of Bangladesh that promotes tolerance, Japanese activist Shunichi Fujiki said the people of Bangladesh are in a precarious state under the rule of Dr Yunus.

Referring to a sweeping indemnity granted by Yunus to keep his supporters who are responsible for the violent overthrow of Awami League and elements that are responsible for post-5 August violence, Barrister Tania Amir added, “At least 450 police stations were burnt and police were murdered while their corpses were hung as part of a meticulously designed plot to bring Yunus in power without an election but now they are out of the purview of justice”.

“Rights activists, leaders and activists of opposition parties are reeling from systematic attacks since 5 August. Flags symbolising ISIS are flown. Symbols representing the founding spirit of Bangladesh — harmony and tolerance are burnt to the ground”, added Tania Amir, who is a lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court and an academic fellow of the Bangladesh constitution

Referring to the UN report, Tania added, “The current regime is totally silent over killing spree that saw over 600 lives lost including police and murderers are rewarded with impunity, a travesty of justice.

Expressing concern over the unprecedented rise of mob violence, Paulo Casaca, a former MEP & Executive Director of the South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF), appealed for the immediate return to the rule of law and restoration of the police force in Bangladesh, alongside impunity for mob rule.

Puspita Gupta, President of the Secular Bangladesh Movement in the UK, Nazrul Islam, President of the All European Awami League, Mir Aminur Rahman Khosru, President of the All European Freedom Fighter Council, Fazlur Rehman Afridi, a rights activist and Nijhoom Majumder, a lawyer and online activist, also spoke at the press conference.