GANHRI Accused of Inaction Over Bangladesh’s Defunct Human Rights Commission
The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), a Delhi-based human rights watchdog, has accused the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) of failing to take any action against Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which has remained inactive since November 7, 2024.
In a formal letter to GANHRI, the RRAG alleged that the global body ignored repeated calls for intervention even after Bangladesh’s interim government dismissed all NHRC members — a move reportedly intended to safeguard the image of Chief Adviser and Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
Complaint Filed, No Response
According to RRAG, a formal complaint was lodged with GANHRI on November 8, 2024, urging the suspension of Bangladesh’s NHRC in light of its dissolution. Nearly a year later, the interim government has not appointed any new members, leaving the commission effectively non-functional.
The dismissal of NHRC Chairperson Kamal Uddin Ahmed and members Md Salim Reza, Aminul Islam, Kongjari Chowdhury, Biswajit Chanda, and Tania Haque followed an October 2024 NHRC report documenting a rise in mob violence, rapes, political harassment, and attacks on political figures across the country.
‘Double Standards’ Alleged Against GANHRI
RRAG Director Suhas Chakma criticized GANHRI for maintaining Bangladesh’s NHRC as a “B-status” member despite its dissolution, calling it a blow to the credibility and impartiality of GANHRI’s accreditation process under the Paris Principles.
He noted that GANHRI had previously suspended the memberships of several national human rights bodies under similar conditions, including those of Afghanistan (July 2022), Myanmar, Niger, and the Russian Federation (July 2023).
“In the case of Bangladesh, even a scheduled meeting with GANHRI on March 4, 2025, was canceled at the last minute as the organization failed to arrange a venue or contact person,” Chakma added.
Human Rights Under Fire in Bangladesh
The RRAG report paints a grim picture of Bangladesh’s human rights landscape under the interim government. Between August 2024 and July 2025, at least 637 people, including 41 police personnel, were reportedly lynched — a 1,250% increase from 2023, when 51 lynching deaths were recorded during the Sheikh Hasina administration.
The group also reported a breakdown of the justice system, citing the removal of 21 judges from the Supreme Court and High Court and the dissolution of the NHRC. It said 1,567 criminal cases were filed against more than 516,000 people, including 79,491 named and 436,836 unnamed individuals.
Journalists and Minorities Under Attack
RRAG claimed that 878 journalists were targeted over the past year, with 51 cases filed and 39 arrests made under the Cyber Security Act, 2023. The report documented 2,485 incidents of violence against religious and ethnic minorities.
Freedom of association and assembly has also been “effectively denied” to the Awami League, its affiliated organizations, indigenous groups from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), and Hindu minorities. Both the Awami League and its student wing, the Chhatra League, were allegedly banned.
RRAG further alleged that indigenous protesters were attacked by settlers and army personnel during their “March for Identity” rallies in Dighinala, Khagrachari Sadar, and Rangamati Sadar on September 19–20, 2024.
One notable case highlighted by RRAG was that of Hindu priest Chinmoy Das, who was arrested on charges of sedition and murder after organizing a peaceful protest at Chittagong’s Lal Dighi ground on October 25, 2024. He has reportedly been detained since November 25, 2024.
“At a time when Bangladesh needs a functioning human rights institution the most, it has been without one for an entire year,” Chakma said. “GANHRI must act urgently to suspend Bangladesh’s NHRC without further delay.”
Source: CSR Journal
