New Delhi, 20 January 2025: The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) today slammed British Parliamentarian Rupa Huq for her tendentious comments regarding the Commonwealth All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) of the British Parliament on Bangladesh following her visit to Bangladesh. The Guardian reported yesterday that Ms Huq raised issues of bias in the report of the APPG published in November 2024 and named the RRAG for the same.
RRAG’s Email to APPG Chairman, Foreign Secretary & Other
In an email to APPG Chairman Andrew Rosindell, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Indo-Pacific Minister Katherine West and all members of the House of Commons, the RRAG stated that “The contentions raised by MP Rupa Huq are not collaborated by the facts or realities on the ground, but appear to be based on oral complaints made by Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Dr Mohammed Yunus during the meeting with her in Dhaka on 5th January 2025. The RRAG provided incontrovertible evidence to the APPG that can stand any judicial scrutiny. The APPG report highlighted human rights violations under the Interim Government.”
On filing of cases against 194,000 persons, mostly belonging to the Awami League (AL), the RRAG stated that it was based on data collated by rights body Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation headed by prominent activist Sultana Kamal as reported in The Daily Star. The pattern of filing of cases against hundreds of persons, mainly political opponents, continues as on date. As late as 6th January 2025, a petition was filed by Aladul Islam, a garments worker, before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 344 former members of parliament (MPs) for allegedly attempting to kill him during a student-public protest against discrimination.
“Any student of administration of criminal justice will be aware that 344 MPs cannot be part of the conspiracy to kill a garment worker who was participating in a protest along with thousands of others. The principle of command responsibility given under international humanitarian laws including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court also cannot apply to these 344 MPs with respect to the use of force by any law enforcement personnel regarding the attempt to kill a garment worker in a mass protest. Yet, process is the punishment.”- stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG.
The APPG report highlighted that “media freedom has increased for the opponents of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and stated that as of 22 October, at least 54 journalists perceived as supporters of the previous government led by Sheikh Hasina were charged for various offences including for genocide and crimes.
“The RRAG had provided the list of 54 journalist who were attacked. Furthermore, the Ain O Salish Kendra, a prominent Bangladeshi human rights NGO in its annual report published on 31 December 2024 stated that out of the 531 journalists targeted during 2024, about 30 journalists were attacked for performing their duties during controversial 12th General elections while criminal cases have been filed against 130 journalists in the aftermath of July 2024 anti-quota uprising.” – stated the RRAG.
The APPG report highlighted that according to the Health Ministry and Human Rights Support Society this number had risen to over 1000 by the end of August. There was no underreporting of any death in the protest as alleged by MP Ms Rupa Huq.
On the situation of the religious minorities the APPG recorded the submission of the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council that 2,010 incidents, including murder and rape between August 4-20 had taken place.
On this issue, the RRAG stated that “on 10 January 2025, the Bangladesh Police claimed that out of 1,769 cases of reported attacks and vandalism, police investigated 1,415 incidents, with 354 cases still under investigation. Among the investigated cases, 1,254 were found to be substantiated, while 161 lacked evidence. Of the verified cases, 1,234 incidents (98.4%) were politically motivated, and 20 cases (1.59%) were communal in nature. In fact, the findings of the Bangladesh Police since the publication of the report by the APPG prove that the submission recorded by the APPG on the attacks on the religious minorities was the truth.”
On Indigenous Communities, the APPG report highlighted the submission of the Global Association for Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (GAIPC) including that “from 19 September to 1 October 2024, the illegal plain settlers and Bangladesh Army led organized assaults on indigenous peoples in Dighinala and Khagrachari Sadar under Khagrachari district on 19 September, followed by further attacks on Rangamati Sadar on 20 September 2024 and Khagrachari district on 1 October 2024 after an illegal settler was murdered by his own community fellows.”
On the attacks on indigenous communities, the RRAG asserted that “A number of international organizations such as Amnesty International on 20 September 2024, the Minority Rights Group International on 24 September 2024, International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs on 8th October 2024 and the Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights on 14 October 2024 condemned the attacks and demanded impartial inquiry. On 21 September 2024, the three Advisors to the Interim government visited the Chittagong Hill Tracts and announced formation of a high-level committee to investigate the recent incidents. A seven-member inquiry committee headed by Additional Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Mr Mohammad Nurullah Noori was formed which visited the affected areas but the report is not being made public by the government.”
“There is not a single averment which cannot stand judicial scrutiny but MP Rupa Huq for reasons best known to her is defending human rights violations under the Interim Government of Dr Mohammed Yunus simply based on the poor human rights records of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as if two wrongs make one right. While human rights violations under former Prime Minister Hasina must be investigated and accountability must be established, it cannot be an excuse to provide impunity to the Interim Government which even barred the police personnel from arresting or filing cases against anyone involved in the July-August uprising in which at least 44 policemen were killed! More importantly, the Interim Government is no longer acting as the Interim one with the announcement to hold elections by mid 2026and it would be held accountable.” – further stated Mr Chakma.
Some of these issues were raised by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk after conclusion of his visit to Bangladesh on 30 October 2024. He had stated that “It is key that criminal cases are not filed against individuals solely on the basis of their previous political affiliation, including members or supporters of Awami League…….. There are concerns that some charges are not founded on proper investigation, including a large number of murder charges against journalists. It is important not to repeat the patterns of the past.”
“It is important to expose tendentious, if not malicious, comments of British MP Rupa Huq towards all stakeholders including the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council whose members face reprisals for merely reporting human rights violations in the country.” – also stated Mr Chakma.
The RRAG called upon the APPG and the British Government to not give any leeway to the Interim Government of Bangladesh on human rights violations just because it is headed by a Nobel Laureate. Any government whether interim or otherwise, whether Noble Laureate or any Ayatollah must be held accountable for human rights violations without any distinction whatsoever.
