USCIRF chief meets Yunus as minorities continue to suffer in Bangladesh

Dhaka, May 27
Stephen Schneck, Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), met with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Monday as minorities in Bangladesh continue to be oppressed massively under the interim government that was installed after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster in August 2024.





The meeting took place as several global human rights groups have urged the United Nations to help stop Yunus, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, from emboldening the religious fundamentalists in his country.

Sources said that the discussion between Yunus and Schneck encompassed the state of religious freedom in Bangladesh, the July 2024 uprising, the Interim Government's reform agenda, proposed constitutional amendments, and the ongoing Rohingya crisis.

Yunus -- who in the past has been trivialising the acts of violence against the Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians in Bangladesh by describing them as outcomes of personal disputes, criminal acts, or accidents -- reportedly underscored the significant role of religion in Bangladesh and reaffirmed his government's dedication to ensuring religious harmony in the country of 171 million people.

Hindus in Bangladesh have faced over 2000 attacks after Hasina was forced to flee in August 2024, several reports have revealed

The UN Human Rights Office in September 2024 dispatched a team to Bangladesh, including human rights investigators, a forensics physician and a weapons expert, to conduct an independent and impartial fact finding into the deadly events.

The report released in February this year found patterns of security forces deliberately and impermissibly killing or maiming protesters, including incidents where people were shot at point-blank range.

Addressing allegations of violence against minorities, Yunus has emphasised the interim government's commitment to transparency and expressed concerns over "orchestrated disinformation campaigns".

As Schneck enquired about the activities of the reform commissions and the proposed constitutional changes following the uprising, Yunus stated that any constitutional amendments would uphold religious freedom and minority rights in Bangladesh.

Yunus also sought support from the USCIRF to highlight the plight of the Rohingya people and their prolonged persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

He mentioned that the United Nations is scheduled to hold a special session on the Rohingya issue in September this year following his request.