Activists Critique Bangladesh's Declining Human Rights Amid Rising Extremism

At the UN Human Rights Council, activist Fazal ur Rehman Afridi criticized the worsening human rights situation in Bangladesh, attributing it to a surge in Islamic extremism under the interim leadership of Muhammad Yunus. He reported a significant uptick in violence, including extrajudicial killings and repression of journalists, as extremist groups gain momentum. Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute echoed these concerns, alleging that Yunus is facilitating the rise of hardline Islamist influences while suppressing press freedoms, prompting calls for U.S. sanctions against him. The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council reported ongoing violence against minorities, although the government claimed many incidents were misrepresented and linked to personal conflicts rather than communal strife. Additionally, border security talks between India and Bangladesh revealed rising tensions and security challenges due to the proliferation of radical Islamic elements, which were previously kept in check by the former government. These developments reflect a troubling trajectory for Bangladesh's political and social landscape.