Advocacy Group Warns of Extrajudicial Killings in Bangladesh Under Yunus

A leading international advocacy organisation has expressed serious concern over a sharp rise in alleged extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. According to a statement released by the Canada-based Global Centre for Democratic Governance (GCDG), at least 85 individuals have reportedly been subjected to extrajudicial executions since September 8, 2024. Human rights observers, however, believe the actual number may be significantly higher.

Citing multiple media reports, the GCDG alleged that incidents of extrajudicial killings have increased as the “unelected” Yunus-led interim government continues to extend its tenure. The organisation further claimed that strict government control over the press has resulted in widespread underreporting of such cases. Journalists who attempt to investigate or publish reports on these killings allegedly face severe repercussions, including arrests, job termination, revocation of press credentials, and even violent attacks on newsrooms. In several instances, published reports were reportedly removed under pressure, contributing to what the group described as an enforced erasure of truth through fear.

The GCDG accused the interim government of operating without accountability to the public and of ignoring or dismissing credible allegations related to extrajudicial killings. Emphasising the need for justice, the organisation stated that every case of extrajudicial killing must be subjected to an independent and impartial investigation, and that all perpetrators, regardless of rank or position, must be held accountable. It warned that the prevailing culture of impunity must come to an end.

Calling the situation urgent, the GCDG appealed to national and international human rights bodies, as well as global institutions committed to justice, to initiate independent investigations into the alleged killings in Bangladesh. The organisation stressed that continued silence by the international community would amount to complicity and urged immediate global action.

Earlier, in December 2025, a prominent Bangladeshi human rights organisation highlighted widespread human rights violations across the country. Dhaka-based Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) reported an alarming rise in mob violence, extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody, minority persecution, politically motivated killings, and suppression of press freedom. According to ASK’s latest report, mob violence claimed 197 lives between January and December 2025, compared to 128 deaths in the previous year. Since the Yunus-led interim government took office in 2024, at least 293 people have reportedly been killed in mob-related violence.

Bangladesh continues to face escalating human rights concerns, with persistent attacks on minorities—particularly the Hindu community—under the current interim administration.