The Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has lodged a formal complaint with UN Special Rapporteurs concerning the alleged false prosecution of 116 Hindu minority individuals, primarily lawyers practising at the Chittagong District and Sessions Court in Bangladesh. The complaint, addressed to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on Minorities, highlights concerns about the systemic targeting of Hindu minorities through misuse of the legal system.
The case stems from allegations by Khane Alam, who filed a complaint on 27 November 2024, accusing Hindu minority lawyers and hundreds of unidentified individuals of attacking mosques and worshippers while chanting slogans and wielding deadly weapons. The alleged incident occurred on 26 November when ISKCON spokesperson and Hindu monk Krishna Das, arrested on sedition charges, was presented in court for bail. According to the RRAG, these allegations are baseless, with evidence suggesting the Hindus were, in fact, the victims of violence.
Suhas Chakma, Director of RRAG, described the charges as “false and fabricated,” aimed at undermining the legal defence available to Hindu minorities. He further stated, “It is implausible for a complainant to accurately identify 116 individuals from a large protest and obtain detailed personal information. This false prosecution reflects a deliberate attempt to weaponise the justice system, leaving Hindu minorities vulnerable and denying them equal protection under the law as guaranteed by international standards.”
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The situation for minorities in Bangladesh has reportedly worsened since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on 5 August 2024. According to the RRAG, over 2,000 instances of atrocities against religious minorities have been recorded since then, with the legal system allegedly being used to target specific communities. Concerns about this escalating crisis were previously raised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) of the British Parliament in a letter to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, warning of the potential for the situation to become a global flashpoint.
The RRAG has called on the UN Special Rapporteurs to press the Interim Government of Bangladesh to cease the prosecution of the 116 Hindu lawyers and ensure the protection of minority rights. The organisation also emphasised the need for urgent international intervention to prevent further misuse of the judicial process.
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