The Paradox of “Safety” in a Deeply Uncertain Bangladesh
Former prime minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia lies on her deathbed, yet her only son, Tarique Rahman, refuses to return to Bangladesh. His stated reason is simple but alarming: he does not feel safe. Had a so-called fascist Awamiligue government been in power today, many would have assumed that even in this moment of personal tragedy he was being politically barred from returning. Public outrage would have been swift and intense.
But this is not the political landscape of the past. The country is now governed by a consensus administration formed without the Awami League. In this government, key state positions—including the Inspector General of Police, various secretaries, the Attorney General, and even members of the Election Commission—are aligned with the BNP. Yet Tarique Rahman still does not feel secure enough to come home. What does this reveal about the state of law and order—and more importantly, about the authenticity of the government’s claims of stability?
### The Contradiction at the Heart of Minority Safety Claims
When reports of minority persecution arise, the ruling political groups—including the BNP, Jamaat, and Muhammad Yunus’s camp—quickly insist that Hindus and other minority communities are perfectly safe. They argue that Indian media outlets and the Awami League fabricate or exaggerate incidents to tarnish the country’s image. But one or two cases of misinformation do not invalidate thousands of documented attacks.
If minorities are truly safe, why do their religious festivals require military protection? Why are village after village of minority families attacked? Why do discriminatory barriers persist in government representation and employment? And why do secular, freethinking bloggers—forced into exile years ago—still fear returning to their homeland?
These are not hypothetical concerns. They are urgent, documented realities.
### A Surge in Violence After August 2024
Following the political upheaval on August 5, 2024, Bangladesh experienced a wave of violence targeting religious and ethnic minorities. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, at a press conference on September 19, 2024, presented a partial list documenting 2,010 separate incidents of communal violence between August 4 and August 20 alone. This is not an isolated pattern—it is a systemic failure.
### Extremism Flourishing in Plain Sight
Islamist extremists have intensified their activities, particularly targeting Sufi communities. In just one year, they launched over a hundred attacks on Sufi shrines. In one of the most horrifying acts, they exhumed the body of a Sufi practitioner from his grave, burned it, and branded him a kafir—an enemy of Islam. Such acts are not only criminal but deeply symbolic of the growing audacity of violent extremism.
### The Global Blind Spot
Despite the overwhelming evidence of escalating intolerance, the international human-rights framework continues to accept the narrative that minorities in Bangladesh are safe. This disconnect raises a troubling question: What more needs to happen before the world acknowledges the depth of the crisis?
When political leaders cannot guarantee safety even to their own, when minorities require armed guards to practice their faith, when peaceful spiritual communities are targeted by extremists, and when exiled writers fear returning home—how can anyone claim that Bangladesh is safe?
The contradictions speak louder than the official statements. And until these contradictions are confronted honestly, the crisis will continue to deepen, unchecked and unacknowledged.
