Mizzima
On 10 February, the Human Rights Foundation and other organizations urged Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, to ensure fair elections on February 12, highlighting concerns about press freedom, minority protection, and democratic standards.
The open letter is as follows.
After 18 months under the leadership of your interim government, we, the undersigned organizations, write to call your administration’s attention to its responsibility to ensure that the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, slated to take place on Feb. 12, remain free and fair.
These elections are the result of an outpouring of grievances surrounding injustice and human rights violations in Bangladesh. What began as calls for reform to a discriminatory government job allocation system evolved into a broader call for widespread change, led by courageous student leaders. Protesters prevailed against a violent state crackdown to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, concluding her 15 continuous years in power.
Following Hasina’s resignation, the formation of an interim government under your leadership sparked hope that autocratization in Bangladesh would come to an end, setting the country on the path toward democracy and respect for human rights.
Building a state on the foundation of a former regime’s rubble is a grueling endeavor. We recognize the importance of correcting past errors. Effective avenues for redress are essential for victims of the violent crackdown on protesters in 2024, as well as those who suffered for more than a decade under Hasina’s regime of enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killings, and other grave violations tantamount to crimes against humanity. Moreover, the politicization of institutions such as the judiciary and police under the Hasina regime continues to inhibit their ability to conduct key state-building functions, including preventing outbreaks of violence and restoring institutional accountability.
The limited government oversight that has followed the transition has allowed for the resurgence of fundamentalism and intolerance toward religious and ethnic minorities. The recent killing of a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, for alleged blasphemy and the lack of accountability for the perpetrators has sparked additional fear among Hindu communities, resulting in an environment of fear that could hinder the participation of minorities in the election. We urge the administration and future governments to take more robust steps to design a truly inclusive electoral process.
The growing crackdown on press freedom also raises concerns ahead of the election. Instead of ensuring a safer environment for the media, the interim government has detained journalists under the Anti-Terrorism Act for allegedly supporting the Awami League. In December 2025, shortly after the elections were announced, journalist Anis Alamgir was arrested for allegedly spreading propaganda in support of the Awami League and was denied bail.
Harassment, intimidation, and violence against journalists continue to prohibit them from reporting freely. The recent arson attacks on the country’s two largest news outlets, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, in December 2025, demonstrate how news agencies attempting to provide independent news coverage are at risk, and they highlight the need for better protection measures for press freedom.
As this meaningful vote approaches, a focus on mass enfranchisement to boost participation would ensure that all Bangladeshis feel invested in building their country’s future. We remind you, Mr. Yunus, of your initial commitment to ensure that elections are “free, peaceful, and celebratory in spirit.” We urge you to protect and promote press freedom, which is a cornerstone of democratic governance, and to uphold universal standards of due process and fair trials to set a new precedent of justice and institutional accountability in Bangladesh. We also call for the better protection of the rights of women and minorities, and for their meaningful participation in political life for all citizens. It is our firm belief that these actions are the first steps towards rebuilding people’s faith in the government and its institutions, ultimately laying the foundation for Bangladesh’s democracy.
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