JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter : July-September 2024

7. JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter: July-September, 2024 by JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns Recent Sectarian Violence and Targeting of Ethnic Minorities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts

Paris, France; September 22, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is appalled, deeply concerned, and outraged by the recent outbreak of brutal sectarian violence in the hill districts of Khagrachhari and Rangamati in Bangladesh. This wave of violence has led to the tragic loss of lives, the forced displacement of hundreds of ethnic families, and the destruction of homes and places of worship. The killing of at least four ethnic minority men by Armymen, including Junan Chakma, Dhananjoy Chakma, and Rubel Tripura, and the arson attack on over 100 houses and businesses in Dighinala, Khagrachhari, represents a grave violation of human rights and human dignity.

Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Recent Killing of Former Student League Leaders at Dhaka, Jahangirnagar, and Rajshahi Universities by Mob Justice

Paris, France – September 20, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its profound concern and outrage over the rise in political violence in Bangladesh, particularly the targeted attacks on members of the Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliates. These violent incidents, which have escalated since the interim government led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus assumed power, are being perpetrated under the banner of the so-called "Anti-Discrimination Student-Citizen Movement," driven by extremist factions including Jamaat, BNP, Hefazat-e-Islam, and their militant student wings.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Politically Motivated Arbitrary Arrests of Prominent Cultural Figures, Journalists, and Lawyers in Bangladesh

Paris, France; September 18, 2024: France-based human rights organization, Justicemakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), has expressed profound concern over the politically motivated arbitrary arrests of prominent cultural activist Asaduzzaman Noor, writer and researcher Shahriar Kabir, Supreme Court lawyers Nurul Islam Sujan and Mahbub Ali, and journalists Mozammel Babu and Shyamal Dutta. JMBF is calling for the unconditional release of these distinguished cultural figures, writers, journalists, and lawyers, as well as the immediate withdrawal of all baseless charges filed against them

STATEMENT:JMBF Expresses Deep Concern Over Escalating Violence Against LGBTQI+ Members in Bangladesh

Paris, France; September 16, 2024: Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its profound concern and condemnation regarding the recent wave of violence, harassment, and looting targeting LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) members across various parts of Bangladesh. Following the fall of the Awami League government and under the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Islamist fundamentalist groups have intensified their violent and inhumane acts against sexual minorities, violating their fundamental human rights.

STATEMENT: JMBF Calls for UN Intervention to Address Violence Against Minority Communities in Bangladesh

Paris, France; September 13, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is deeply alarmed by the recent wave of violent attacks targeting minority communities in Bangladesh following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024. The destruction of homes, businesses, and places of worship—particularly those belonging to Hindu, Christian, Ahmadiyya, and ethnic minority communities—represents a grave violation of human rights and threatens the safety and dignity of these vulnerable populations.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Brutal Killing of Bangladeshi Child Joyonto Kumar Singha by BSF

Paris, France; September 12, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) unequivocally condemns the brutal killing of Joyonto Kumar Singha, a young schoolboy, and the injuring of two others, including Joyonto's father, by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on September 9, 2024, near the Dhantala border in Thakurgaon, Bangladesh.

STATEMENT: JMBF Gravely Concerned about the Alleged Death of Sohrab Hossain and Shafiqul Islam Due to Torture in Gaibandha

Paris, France; September 11, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is profoundly outraged and horrified by the reported torture by law enforcement agencies in Gaibandha, resulting in the deaths of Sohrab Hossain and Shafiqul Islam and severe injuries to three other individuals.

STATEMENT: JMBF Gravely Concerned Over Attacks on Sufi Shrines; Urges Upholding Religious Freedom in Bangladesh

Paris, France; September 10, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is profoundly concerned about the recent surge of attacks on Sufi shrines and religious sites across Bangladesh, which have intensified following the resignation of the former Awami League government on August 5, 2024. These acts of violence and vandalism not only erode religious harmony but also jeopardize the country’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage.

JMBF Deeply Concerned About Attempted Physical Assault and Hate Directed Towards Bangladeshi Transgender Activist

Paris, France; September 09, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the appalling acts of violence and hate directed towards our esteemed transgender activist, Ho Chiminh Islam, on August 22 and 23, 2024. JMBF urges the Bangladeshi interim government, led by Professor Yunus, to take immediate action against those responsible for these vile acts, ensuring that justice prevails and that Ho Chi Minh receives the protection she rightfully deserves.

STATEMENT: JMBF Gravely Concerned Over the BSF Killing of Bangladeshi Teenage Schoolgirl by Fatal Shooting in Moulvibazar

Paris, France; September 07, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern and strong protest over the tragic killing of 14-year-old Swarna Das, a schoolgirl who was fatally shot by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the night of September 1, 2024, at the Lalarchak border area of Sharifpur Union, Kulaura, Moulvibazar.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns and Protests the Brutal Attack Against a Hindu Teenager Due to Alleged Blasphemy

Paris, France; September 05, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) vehemently condemns the violent assault on a 16-year-old minority Hindu boy from Khulna, Bangladesh, who was brutally beaten by a radical Islamic mob on the night of September 4, 2024. This heinous act, committed under the pretext of blasphemy accusations for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is a flagrant violation of human rights, freedom of speech, and the rule of law. Such violence cannot and must not be tolerated in a just and humane society.

STATEMENT: JMBF Gravely Concerned Over Politically Motivated Murder Case Filed Against Several Prominent Lawyers

Paris, France; September 04, 2024 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the politically motivated charges filed against a group of highly respected legal professionals, including former Law Minister Barrister Shafiq Ahmed, former Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Tania Amir, and others in connection with the killing of a student protester on September 1, 2024.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns Widespread Politically Motivated Legal Actions Against Journalists in Bangladesh

Paris, France – September 3, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its profound concern and strong condemnation regarding the recent alarming wave of politically motivated, false, and fabricated legal actions taken against journalists in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5, 2024.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Forced Resignation of Minority Hindu Teachers in Bangladesh

Paris, France: September 02, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) vehemently condemns and protests the forced resignation of at least 49 religious minority Hindu teachers in Bangladesh due to their religious affiliation as of September 30, 2024, following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Bangladesh Awami League Government.

The Looming Threat: Is Bangladesh Becoming a Safe Haven for Islamic Militancy?

Advocate Shahanur Islam

Introduction

In the wake of the former Bangladesh Awami League-led government's fall, Bangladesh seems to be veering towards a precarious future, with radical Islamic militancy gaining troubling momentum. The recent release of Jasimuddin Rahmani, a notorious Islamist cleric and spiritual leader of the banned terrorist organization Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), which is directly linked to Al-Qaeda, has sparked widespread fear and uncertainty about the country's safety and security. This release, allegedly influenced by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and supported by figures like Dr. Asif Nazrul and Adilur Rahman Khan, has raised serious concerns about the potential resurgence of radical extremism in Bangladesh.