On August 5, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee the country due to a student-led uprising. Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who Hasina had harassed, is now leading an interim government as the chief adviser.
The new government, with support from protesting students and opposition parties like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has started to establish control and authority in the country. Yunus described the day of his oath-taking ceremony as a moment of pride, likening Hasina’s ouster to a second independence for Bangladesh.
During Hasina’s rule, there was severe repression of freedom of speech, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and election rigging. The recent student protests resulted in deaths and injuries, as well as widespread disruption of communication services.
Reports from the protests depicted a brutal crackdown by Hasina’s forces, with shootings, arrests, and acts of terror. Despite the violence, the people, including women and girls, continued their protests until Hasina stepped down.
The Yunus administration is now expected to address the issue of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh, with over 700 cases reported during Hasina’s rule. The release of three previously disappeared individuals further confirms the use of this tactic to suppress opposition.
A proposed national commission could investigate these disappearances, similar to Argentina’s approach in addressing human rights violations. The victims and their families have the right to know the truth and seek justice for these crimes against humanity.
Yunus must also oversee a peaceful transition of power through free and fair elections, as his administration lacks a public mandate. The opposition and others are calling for elections within six months, while some suggest a longer period for reforms before a transfer of power to an elected government.
With limited time to bring about change, Yunus should prioritize the establishment of the commission for disappeared persons, ensuring its independence for future accountability.