Violence Against Women and Minorities Rising in Bangladesh Ahead of Elections

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarms over an increase in violence targeting women, children, and religious minorities in Bangladesh as the country prepares for the 13th National Parliamentary Elections scheduled for February 12.

In a report published on its website on January 14, the rights watchdog stated that these attacks highlight the interim government’s failure to uphold human rights following the 2024 "Monsoon Revolution."

Surge in Gender-Based Violence
Citing police data, the report noted that gender-based violence from January to June 2025 has surpassed figures from the same period in 2024. Dr. Fauzia Moslem, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, attributed the decline in safety to the rising influence of religious groups and their provocative rhetoric.

According to Dr. Moslem, these groups are actively working to restrict women's freedom of movement and social participation. The report highlighted that since May 2025—when hardline groups labeled government gender equality efforts as "un-Islamic"—women have increasingly faced verbal, physical, and digital harassment, leading to a "silencing effect."

Persecution of Minorities
The report detailed a grim situation for religious and ethnic minorities. Notable incidents include:

• The Lynching of Dipu Chandra Das: A Hindu garment worker killed in December over allegations of blasphemy.
• Violence Against Hindus: Human rights groups recorded at least 51 incidents of violence targeting the Hindu community, including 10 murders.
• Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT): The report alleged that ethnic minorities in the hilly regions continue to face harassment by security forces in the post-revolution period.

Barriers to Political Participation
Despite Bangladesh’s history of having two female Prime Ministers and the significant role of women in the 2024 student-led uprising, female representation in the upcoming election remains low.

HRW pointed out that 30 out of 51 registered political parties have not fielded any female candidates. Specifically, the report identified Jamaat-e-Islami as one of the country's top two political parties and noted that they nominated zero women among their 276 candidates.

Recommendations for Reform
Human Rights Watch urged the interim government to prioritize recommendations from the Women's Affairs Reform Commission. Key demands include:

• Increasing female representation in Parliament.
• Adhering to the UN Security Council’s Women, Peace, and Security agenda.
• Fully implementing the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).
• Upholding constitutional provisions to protect religious and ethnic minorities.

The report concluded that these are not new demands but rights that Bangladeshis reaffirmed during the "Monsoon Revolution." It called on all political parties to commit to gender equality and minority protections to ensure a truly democratic transition.