Bangladesh’s Awami League has expressed serious worry about the ongoing targeted assaults on its members and their families in 2026. The party cautioned that the international community’s silence on these attacks could escalate brutality and political violence in the country. Following a recent incident in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar district where a woman died protecting her son from alleged Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Chhatra Dal workers, the Awami League condemned the violence as part of a broader pattern across the nation. The party criticized the assault, stating that the victim’s only fault was being associated with a political slogan, ‘Joy Bangla’.
Conveying that individuals linked to the Awami League are facing increased risks of attacks and killings without evidence of wrongdoing, the party highlighted a surge in violence across various districts. While supporters of the current BNP-led government justify the violence as a response to the previous administration, independent critics warn of a dangerous shift in the country’s political landscape. The Awami League emphasized the alarming rise in attacks on low-level workers and their families, a trend previously unseen in Bangladesh’s political history.
The Awami League pointed out concerns raised by human rights groups regarding a troubling pattern of deaths among detained political figures in regional prisons since the political transition in 2024. The party stressed the state’s duty to ensure the safety of all detainees and criticized the lack of accountability in cases of deaths within prisons. Moreover, the party highlighted the vulnerability of arrested leaders who face assaults by mobs outside court premises, often in the presence of law enforcement.
Urging global leaders to speak out against these atrocities, the Awami League emphasized the importance of addressing such events as significant human rights violations rather than internal matters. The party underscored that human rights are universal and should be upheld regardless of political affiliations or power dynamics.
