Four US senators have written a letter to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus stressing the urgent need for democratic reforms and accountability in response to widespread protests in Bangladesh, demanding substantive political and institutional changes.
Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) signed the letter on Friday.
They said the world has witnessed how the people of Bangladesh have courageously demonstrated the transformative power of collective action. This transition presents a historic opportunity to reform institutions, protect human rights, and ensure inclusive participation in governance.
The senators said when citizens unite, their voices can compel even the most entrenched and authoritarian leaders to relinquish power, but this historic moment did not come without costs.
Instead of engaging the legitimate grievances of the protesters, the Bangladesh security forces responded with brute force, killing hundreds of protesters, and arresting and injuring thousands more, they said.
The senators urged the interim government to create a credible process to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the security services' human rights violations.
"This will be vital both as a demonstration of your commitment to respecting the rights of the protesters and signal your interim government's intention to work in good faith to address their grievances."
They said this transition presents a historic opportunity to reform institutions in Bangladesh, to ensure that human rights, such as freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, are protected; to allow for inclusive participation in government representative of the diversity of the country.
"This is also an opportunity to support civil society and independent media; and to hold individuals accountable for the violence committed against the citizens of Bangladesh.
"The people of Bangladesh deserve a government that honours their voices, safeguards their rights, and upholds their dignity."
The senators also said while many celebrate this new chapter in Bangladesh, a concerning volume of those celebrations have turned violent, with documented reports of reprisals targeting police as well as minority Hindu communities and those perceived to be supporters of Sheikh Hasina's former government.
"As a result, the country has witnessed gaps in law enforcement and lack of protections for those facing violent attacks.
"We urge you to take these threats and incidents of violence seriously, just as we applaud your recent promise to continue supporting the million-plus Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh," the letter reads.
The US legislators said it is only by ensuring that all communities residing in Bangladesh are protected under the law that Bangladesh can meet its promising future.
Now, more than ever, it is important for Bangladeshis to unify -- by coming together and by rebuilding an inclusive government that fully harnesses Bangladesh's tremendous potential, they said.
In a world that has recently witnessed repeated assaults on democratic ideals, Bangladesh has a rare opportunity to respond by delivering on the "second liberation" many protesters have called for through the formulation of a government that respects democratic values and institutions, the senators said.
"We stand ready to assist Bangladesh during this critical period to ensure a successful transition to a democracy truly representative of the will of the Bangladeshi people."
