The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) to approach International Criminal Court (ICC) as In Bangladesh, at least 123 Awami League members victims of targeted murders under Dr Yunus’ regime including 41 being hacked to death in Taliban style.
New Delhi, 6 June The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) in a report, “Bangladesh: Organised murder for membership to the Awami League and its affiliate organisations”, released on Friday stated that at least 123 members of the Awami League and its affiliate organisations such as Swechasebak League, Chhatra League, Juba League, Matsojibi League, Krishak League etc were victims of targeted murder under the regime of Dr Muhammad Yunus from 5 August 2024 to 30 April 2025.
The victims include at least 41 Awami League members who were hacked to death, sometimes by slitting of throats, in a la Taliban style while 21 others were killed in custody of the Interim Government.
“These murders of the Awami League members are just tip of the iceberg as not all the murders of the Awami League members were reported in the local media, and further the RRAG was not able to monitor the local media. It is however clear even children, women, mentally unstable, and maimed were not spared.” – stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG.
Citing specific cases, the RRAG stated, on 17 December 2024, the alleged supporters of Dr Mohammed Yunus murdered Mohammed Masud Rana and 12-year-old Mohd Rian, a class five student at Nachol, Chapaiganj for merely writing “Joy Bangla slogan in their Facebook page five months before the Students Movement. On 5 December 2024, Mrs Arina Begum was hacked to death while offering Namaaz just because her son was the President of the Chhatra League of Kajldighi Kaliaganj Union and had been living in hiding.
On 19 September 2024, Tofazzal, Kathaltoli Union Chhatra League in Patharghata Upazila, a mentally unstable man was brutally killed in Dhaka University compound by a student’s mob despite being mentally unstable.
On 8 September 2024, former Rajshahi University Chhatra League leader Abdullah Al Masud whose veins in one of the legs and hands had been severed in a brutal attack in 2014 and had been walking with a plastic leg was beaten to death when he went to purchase medicine despite no longer being associated with the Chhatra League. On 13 August 2024, Awami League worker Babar Ali was murdered by slitting his throat after being picked up from in front of his house in Bogura district.
“The shrill political rhetoric by the political opponents whether Jamaat-I-Islami, Bangladesh National Party, the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement and the top leadership of the Interim Government headed by Dr Mohammed Yunus effectively encouraged the vengeance against the Awami League. The banning of the Chhatra League and subsequently the Awami League itself justified these acts of vendetta with impunity.” – further stated Mr Chakma.
The RAAG stated that out of the 1,400 people who might have been killed between 15 July and 5 August also included the Awami League members but their relatives could not testify before the inquiry conducted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights because of the fear of being killed. The situation worsened as the Interim Government had provided absolute impunity by prohibiting the police from filing cases or arresting anyone involved in the July-August uprising including for the murder of the 44 policemen.
“The crimes against humanity are committed by both State and non-State actors. These targeted murders for being members of the Awami League and its affiliate organisations under the Interim Government constitute crime against humanity i.e. “acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack” including murder, torture and these are acts of “persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political ground” as provided under Article 7 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. It is not only former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina but also Dr Mohammed Yunus as head of the Interim Government and Adviser for Home Affairs Jahangir Alam Chowdhury for the murder of the Awami League members under the Interim Government. They are liable for the command responsibility as per Article 28 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court.”
The RRAG will file a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court as the war crimes committed in Bangladesh till date including by Dr Yunus’s Interim Government are akin to the crimes against humanity committed in the context of post-election violence in Kenya in 2007/2008” which was investigated by the International Criminal Court.
The targeted killing of the political opponents by Dr Yunus is among others being raised with the UK government as Dr Yunus is scheduled to visit UK on 10-13 June 2025 including to receive Harmony Award 2025 from King Charles III.
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[Please note that each of the 121 targeted murder of the Awami League members in the report is sourced from the local media reported in Bengali and are included in the full report which can be accessed at https://www.rightsrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/BangladeshALOrganisedMurder.pdf]
