Bangladesh’s path to February elections is marred by alarming trends: skyrocketing gender-based violence and assaults on Hindus and ethnic minorities. Chief Adviser Yunus’s interim setup stands accused of neglecting core protections, just as the nation eyes its post-2024 revolution polls.
HRW’s analysis of police stats reveals more gender violence cases in the first half of 2025 than in 2024. Coordinator Shubhajeet Saha links it to religious extremists railing against women’s rights advances. Post-May protests, women face relentless abuse across platforms, curtailing their public presence.
Minority woes compound the crisis. The brutal lynching of 27-year-old Dipuchandra Das in December highlights 51 anti-Hindu attacks logged, with 10 deaths. Chittagong’s indigenous communities report ongoing security abuses.
Bangladesh’s feminist legacy—two women PMs, protest heroines—clashes with reality: 30 parties field no women, Jamaat-e-Islami none in 276 slots. This could etch February’s vote as the least inclusive ever, per observers.
Spotlighting the issue, a Dhaka event drew NGOs like Bangladesh Nari Mukti Kendra and Naripokkho. They grilled the Election Commission on its gender parity pledges and called for scrapping reserved seats in favor of competitive bids.
These developments signal deeper societal rifts. For the elections to legitimize the new order, Yunus must prioritize safety and equity, or risk alienating half the population and minorities alike.