Muhammad Yunus exposed! HRW report exposes violence against Hindus and Women in Bangladesh, sounds alarm on…

Terming it as a “matter of shame”, several reports have stated that the February election will see the lowest-ever participation of women candidates in Bangladesh elections.

New Delhi: The Muhammad Yunus government has failed miserably to control the violent and bloodthirsty jihadi elements, as attacks on religious minorities, particularly Hindus, continue to rise across Bangladesh. As per the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), citing police data, the gender-based violence has increased between January and June 2025, in comparison to the same timeframe in 2024.

“Dr. Fauzia Moslem, President of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (Women’s Council of Bangladesh or BMP), attributes this increase to a rise in activity and rhetoric by religious groups seeking to restrict women’s free movement and participation in society. In May 2025, hardline religious groups protested the interim government’s efforts to improve gender equality and women’s rights and demanded an end to activities they deemed ‘anti-Islamic’. Since then, women and girls have experienced verbal, physical, and digital abuse that further silence their ability to speak out for fear of violence,” wrote Subhajit Saha, a Senior Coordinator in HRW’s Women’s Rights Division.

“In December, Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old garment worker, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy. Rights groups have reported at least 51 incidents of violence against Hindus, including 10 killings. Ethnic minorities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts continued to face abuse from security forces after the revolution,” wrote Saha.

“Despite Bangladesh previously having two women Prime Ministers and many women participating in the 2024 student-led protests, women are still largely denied political participation. In the upcoming general elections, 30 out of the 51 political parties do not have any women candidates. Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political group and one of Bangladesh’s two leading political parties, does not have a single woman candidate among its 276 nominations,” he added.

Add India.com as a Preferred Source

Terming it as a “matter of shame”, several reports have stated that the February election will see the lowest-ever participation of women candidates in Bangladesh elections.

Earlier this week, the local media in Dhaka reported that at an event titled ‘Nomination Crisis of Women Candidates: Gap between Parties’ Commitments and Implementation and the Accountability of the Election Commission’ held at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, many speakers stated that although the election commission of the country frequently talks about a “gender-inclusive election”, there is little reflection of that commitment in reality.

According to United News Bangladesh (UNB), representatives from Gonoshasthaya Abhijan, Durbaar Network Foundation, Nagorik Coalition, Nari Udyog Kendra (NUK), Narigrantha Probortona, Nari Sanghati, Nari Pokkho, Narir Dake Rajniti, Feminist Alliance of Bangladesh (FAB), Bangladesh Nari Mukti Kendra, and Voice for Reform participated in the event.

During the event, the forum leaders reiterated their opposition to reserved seats for women, saying they do not want women to enter parliament through special quotas. Instead, they want women to contest elections directly and secure representation based on merit.

“If the political parties fail to uphold their own manifestos and commitments, why should women trust them in the future, the speakers questioned,” UNB quoted one of speakers as saying.

(With Agency Inputs)