After 7-Year-Old Daughter, BNP Leader’s Elder Daughter Dies in Bangladesh Arson Attack
In an incident of arson at the house of BNP leader Belal Hossain in Lakshmipur, his college-going daughter who had been undergoing treatment at the hospital after sustaining burn injuries has died. She died on Wednesday night at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. Earlier, Belal Hossain’s seven-year-old daughter Ayesha Akhtar also died after being burned in the same fire.
All of Ayesha’s dreams were burned to ashes
“Ayesha was her father’s beloved child. He always looked after her. She used to call him ‘Baba’ and talk a lot with him. She had many dreams—all of them were burned to ashes. I just want to see her face one last time.” Saying this, Nazma Akhtar, the mother of seven-year-old Ayesha who died after being burned in a fire, was crying inconsolably.
Bangladesh’s Human Rights Landscape: How Long Will Impunity Continue?
This year, however, Human Rights Day arrives at a critical juncture for Bangladesh. The political upheaval of 2024, the breakdown of long-entrenched governance structures, and the rise of a fragile interim framework have laid bare an uncomfortable reality.
Romanticising violence and silencing dissent have emerged as the new face of Bangladeshi politics
Bangladesh’s political discourse is increasingly shaped by social media, online sermons, and populist rhetoric as two rising extremist strands—nationalist and religious—converge in portraying rivals as enemies, rejecting pluralism, and normalising violent expressions in public life.
Rising Human Rights Concerns in Bangladesh Ahead of International Human Rights Day
On the eve of International Human Rights Day, rights organizations and monitoring groups have raised alarm over the worsening human-rights situation in Bangladesh. Recent reports indicate a notable increase in extrajudicial killings, custodial deaths, political violence, and harassment of journalists over the past several months.
Demand for Deployment of Special Forces and Army to Ensure Minority Security Ahead of the Election
The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Metropolitan Sarbojanin Puja Committee have demanded the deployment of the army and specialized forces to ensure the safety of religious and ethnic minorities during the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. Leaders of the organization expressed this concern based on past experiences surrounding elections.
Body of Chhatra League activist Momin Khan recovered from the Turag River in the capital
The body of Momin Khan, a missing Chhatra League activist, was recovered today, Wednesday, December 3rd, from the Turag River—four days after he went missing—following an Awami League protest rally in Dhaka’s Diabari area on November 30th against the verdict of the interim government’s tribunal.
Classes and exams halted for activists of the banned Chhatra League in universities
She went to the campus for only one day after the fifth of August to take an exam, but on that very day she “fell victim to an attack.” She could not take the exam; instead, she became an accused in a case and had to spend twenty-seven days in jail. Claiming that she has not been able to attend any classes or exams for the last one and a half years, these were the words of Sumaiya Khatun (pseudonym), a third-year student of a public university.
Political Violence Surged in November, 12 Killed: HRSS
According to the report, political violence increased considerably in November. Most incidents of violence related to dominance disputes, political rivalry, assembly-centered clashes, internal conflicts over nominations in the upcoming 13th national election, disputes over committee formation, extortion, and occupation of various establishments rose from 64 in October to 96 in November.
Human Rights Abuses Continue Unabated Under Bangladesh’s Interim Government
The collapse of the Awami League government in August 2024 marked a decisive turning point in Bangladesh’s contemporary political landscape. A nationwide uprising—fueled by frustration over inequality, corruption, and the abuse of state power—swept the long-standing regime from office and ushered in an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Expectations soared that this transition would usher in a new era of transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights.