POBNEWS24, Dhaka June 8, 2025 : The Delhi-based Indian think tank Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) is preparing to file a formal complaint at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh. The complaint alleges that a planned political assassination targeting leaders and activists of the now-banned Awami League, the party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was carried out during Yunus’s rule.
The think tank claims that at least 123 Awami League leaders and activists were killed during the government led by Dr. Yunus. Of these, 41 were hacked to death “Taliban style”, the complaint says. RRAG has prepared a detailed report on this information, which has been reviewed by Indian media News18 and which will be presented as evidence at the International Criminal Court.
The report states that the deceased were not only members of the Awami League, but were also associated with related affiliates such as the Swechchhasebak League, Chhatra League, Jubo League, Matsyajibi League and Krishak League. These killings took place from August 5, 2024 to April 30, 2025.
The report further alleges that during this period, 21 Awami League workers died due to torture while in remand.
RRAG Director Suhas Chakraborty said, “These killings of Awami League workers are not the final picture. Not all killings were reported in the local media and RRAG could not monitor all areas. Even children, women, the mentally ill and seriously injured were not spared.”
The report notes that “Joy Bangla” – which was once the national slogan of Bangladesh – was declared invalid as a national slogan by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh in December 2024. Shortly after this, on December 17, 2024, a fifth-grade student, Md. RRAG alleged that Masud Rian was killed by Yunus supporters for a five-month-old Facebook post he wrote “Joy Bangla”. The incident took place in Nachol upazila of Chapainawabganj.
The report also details several other specific killings.
On August 13, 2024, Awami League activist Babar Ali, a resident of Bogra district, was abducted from his house and his throat was slit.
On September 19, 2024, a mentally ill Chhatra League leader Tofazzal was beaten to death by a group of students on the Dhaka University campus. He was the Chhatra League leader of Kathaltoli Union in Barguna.
RRAG further claims that around 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 5, 2024, many of whom were Awami League activists. However, many relatives of the victims did not dare to testify in the investigation by the UN High Commission for Human Rights due to intimidation and fear of reprisals.
In its case before the International Criminal Court, RRAG is citing Articles 7 and 28 of the Rome Statute, claiming that the killings and torture committed under Yunus’s government amounted to crimes against humanity.
RRAG claims that the situation in Bangladesh under Yunus’ leadership is similar to the post-election violence in Kenya in 2007-2008, which the ICC investigated.
CNN News 18
