Bangladesh: 123 Awami League Members Victims of Targeted Murder Under Dr Yunus Regime, Says RRAG – ICC Complaint to Follow

 

In a damning report titled “Bangladesh: Organised murder for membership to the Awami League and its affiliate organisations”, the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has revealed that at least 123 members of the Awami League and its affiliated bodies—such as the Swechasebak League, Chhatra League, Juba League, Matsojibi League, and Krishak League—have been victims of targeted killings under the rule of Dr Muhammad Yunus’s Interim Government between 5 August 2024 and 30 April 2025.

The report, released today, documents that 41 of the victims were killed in Taliban-style executions—hacked to death, sometimes with their throats slit—while another 21 were killed while in state custody.

“These killings are only the tip of the iceberg,” said Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG. “Many such incidents remain unreported, especially in rural areas, and the full scale of the violence is far greater than what we could verify. Even children, women, the mentally ill, and physically disabled were not spared.”

Among the shocking cases highlighted:

• On 17 December 2024, 12-year-old Mohd Rian and Chhatra League supporter Masud Rana were murdered in Nachol, Chapainawabganj for posting a “Joy Bangla” slogan on Facebook five months prior.

• On 5 December 2024, Arina Begum was hacked to death while praying, solely because her son was the local Chhatra League president and had gone into hiding.

• On 8 September 2024, former Rajshahi University Chhatra League leader Abdullah Al Masud—disabled since a 2014 attack—was beaten to death while buying medicine.

• On 13 August 2024, Awami League worker Babar Ali was abducted and had his throat slit in Bogura.

The report alleges that the political environment created by Dr Yunus and his allies—particularly the banning of the Awami League and Chhatra League—fostered an atmosphere of vengeance and impunity. “Political rhetoric from Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP, the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, and key Interim Government figures encouraged the persecution,” Chakma stated.

The RRAG notes that out of approximately 1,400 people killed between 15 July and 5 August 2024, many were likely Awami League members, but their families were too afraid to testify to the UN due to threats and ongoing violence. The group further criticized the Interim Government for granting de facto immunity to perpetrators by prohibiting police investigations—even in the murder of 44 policemen during the July-August uprising.

Crimes Against Humanity and ICC Action

The RRAG declared the killings a clear case of crimes against humanity, as defined under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), involving “widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population on political grounds.” The group identified Dr Yunus, as head of the Interim Government, and Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Adviser for Home Affairs, as responsible under the principle of “command responsibility” (Article 28 of the Rome Statute).

The RRAG confirmed it would submit a formal complaint to the ICC, drawing parallels to the Court’s investigation into Kenya’s post-election violence in 2007–2008.

The matter is also being raised with the UK Government ahead of Dr Yunus’s planned visit to the UK from 10–13 June 2025, where he is scheduled to receive the Harmony Award 2025 from King Charles III.