The human rights advocacy group, Citizens for Human Rights, has formally presented a five-point manifesto to the interim government and the Election Commission, demanding stringent safeguards for religious and ethnic minorities ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections. During a press conference held at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Sunday morning, the organisation underscored the “extreme vulnerability” of marginalised voters facing systemic intimidation and violence.
A Climate of Fear and “Zero-Population” Tactics
The call for intervention follows a harrowing field report from a fact-finding mission that visited Raozan and Mirsharai in Chittagong. According to Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive of Nagorik Uddyog, the mission documented a series of arson attacks targeting Hindu households. In a particularly heinous trend, homes were allegedly locked from the outside while residents slept before being set ablaze.
Sotej Chakma, International Affairs Secretary of the Indigenous Youth Forum, warned that this violence is part of a broader “depopulation process,” where minorities are being driven out of the country through calculated terror. “If the voting rights of these citizens are not protected, their marginalisation will only deepen, leading to further discrimination and displacement,” he noted.
The Five-Point Charter of Demands
The organisation has called for immediate action from the interim administration, law enforcement, and the newly reconstituted Human Rights Commission.
| Priority Area | Specific Action Demanded |
| Security Cells | Establishment of a high-level central administrative cell to monitor minority-heavy constituencies. |
| Legal Redress | Immediate arrest of perpetrators behind the violence in Raozan and Mirsharai. |
| Reparations | Adequate financial compensation and comprehensive rehabilitation for arson victims. |
| Mental Health | Psychological support for traumatised families, particularly those who survived fire-bombings. |
| Commission Oversight | The National Human Rights Commission must prioritise minority safety in its regular monitoring. |
Constitutional Failure and Civic Duty
Professor Robayet Ferdous of Dhaka University argued that religious and ethnic minorities have suffered disproportionately under the current transitional period. He remarked that despite constitutional guarantees for the safety of all faiths, many feel they have been relegated to “second-class citizens.” The objective of the recent communal violence, he stated, is clearly to disenfranchise minorities by creating a climate of fear that prevents them from reaching the polling stations.
The press conference concluded with a poignant plea to all political parties. Citizens for Human Rights urged every election-seeking faction to take an active role in ensuring a level playing field and providing post-election security to ensure that the fundamental democratic right to vote does not result in a life-threatening reprisal.