Bangladesh Human Rights Watch (BHRW), an organization advocating for democracy, secularism, and human rights in Bangladesh, has urged the Trump-Vance administration to take immediate steps to help restore constitutional order in the country and reinstate democratically elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted on August 5, 2024. 

BHRW also appealed to India to build an international coalition to pressure Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to resign.

BHRW maintains that Hasina remains the legitimate Prime Minister of Bangladesh. It has called upon President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and the U.S. Congress to investigate the situation and act to restore law and order.

In addition, BHRW has requested a congressional briefing followed by a formal hearing on the matter. They referenced a recent statement by President Trump, in which he alleged that U.S. foreign aid provided through USAID was diverted to an “unknown entity” in Bangladesh.

At a press conference held on April 23, 2025, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., freedom fighter and human rights activist Nuran Nabi voiced concern on behalf of Bangladesh’s 180 million citizens.

“The consequence of these issues will not only affect people of Bangladesh, but also be easier, as well as across the globe,” Nabi stated, alleging that the current government under Yunus is fostering “corruption, human rights violation and rise of Islamist terrorism.”

Nabi emphasized that Yunus holds no constitutional legitimacy as “Chief Advisor,” to the interim government, asserting that the role itself does not exist in the Bangladeshi constitution.

“That’s why we call him illegal ruler of Bangladesh,” he added, alleging that Yunus assumed power through a conspiracy involving domestic terrorists and international entities to unlawfully remove Prime Minister Hasina.

“We are afraid that if he remains in power, he will complete his mission in converting Bangladesh to a failed state like Afghanistan,” he warned.

Political analyst and human rights activist Rana Hassan Mahmud described the post-Hasina landscape in Bangladesh as one marked by lawlessness and mob violence.

“This alarming shift reflects a profound and troubling apathy from the current regime regarding its responsibility to protect the lives, properties, and religious freedoms of its citizens. Such negligence is truly lamentable and raises critical concerns about the future stability and governance of the nation,” he said.

Mahmud highlighted a severe crackdown on the press, noting that over 1,000 journalists and media workers have been dismissed since August 2024. Accreditation cards of 179 journalists have been revoked, and 92 journalists have been expelled or suspended from national and regional press clubs. Additionally, the bank accounts of 47 journalists have been subjected to scrutiny and harassment.

Political analyst Muhammad Ali Siddique alleged that Hasina’s government was ousted by a “deep state conspiracy.” He claimed that Yunus subsequently released hundreds of imprisoned militants and jihadists, empowering the banned Jamaat-e-Islami party and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Siddique emphasized that Bangladesh, once considered a “miracle of economic growth,” and an emerging South Asian powerhouse, is now spiraling toward failure. He warned that continued instability could have far-reaching consequences across South Asia and beyond.

He called upon the Indian government to play a greater role in restoring peace and stability in Bangladesh and expressed appreciation for India’s preliminary efforts to support Hasina. Siddique added that he has reached out to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and the UN Human Rights Council to intervene impartially.

Political activist Dilip Nath highlighted the growing threats faced by religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh, attributing the crisis to Islamic hardliners supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and international backers like China. He claimed these forces engineered the mass uprising that ousted Hasina and installed Yunus as a sympathetic figurehead.

Nath mentioned that Indian American lawmakers Raja Krishnamoorthi and Shri Thanedar have previously addressed the issue, but stressed the need for broader congressional support to initiate a formal hearing in the U.S.

Prof. Arifa Rahman, a former political counselor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington D.C. who fled the country in August 2024 due to threats from radical Islamist groups, reported that over 205 attacks have been carried out against religious minorities and shrines.

“Over 80 mazars and Sufi centers have been desecrated. The situation continues to worsen, with minorities living in fear,” she said.

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