Bangladesh Students’ League calls for neutral administration ahead of 2026 polls

The Bangladesh Students’ League, the student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League, has appealed to the international community to play an active role in ensuring that Bangladesh’s next general election, scheduled for 12 February 2026, is conducted under a neutral administration to guarantee a free, fair and inclusive process.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, the organisation said a neutral governing arrangement was essential for restoring political stability and safeguarding democracy in the country. It also voiced deep concern over what it described as an ongoing pattern of “state-sponsored violence, terror and repression”.

The student body levelled sharp criticism at the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, accusing it of presiding over what it termed a breakdown of constitutional governance. According to the BSL, Bangladesh is witnessing growing disorder, a rise in extremism and a serious deterioration in law and order.

The organisation alleged that recent incidents of mob violence, arson, enforced disappearances and killings were not spontaneous but part of a coordinated campaign that unfolded during July and August 2024, culminating in the ouster of the elected government led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

It claimed that the period following the fall of the Hasina-led government saw the replacement of constitutional rule with what it described as organised mob violence, creating an atmosphere of fear and impunity. Attacks on media houses, cultural institutions, minority communities, political groups and national symbols were cited as evidence that lawful governance had been undermined.

The BSL strongly condemned arson attacks on the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, calling them a direct assault on press freedom. It described an attempt to set fire to The Daily Star’s building while staff were inside as an act amounting to attempted murder, and said the alleged harassment of journalist Nurul Kabir highlighted a broader pattern of intimidation of independent voices.

The student organisation also drew attention to the killing of a Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district, alleging he was beaten to death under a false blasphemy accusation and his body burned. It said the absence of a proper investigation reflected a grave failure of the state and a serious human rights violation.

Additionally, the BSL expressed alarm over repeated attacks on Indian diplomatic missions in cities including Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi and Khulna, as well as the arson of the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in August 2024. It said such incidents violated international diplomatic norms and accused the interim authorities of tolerating mob violence.

The organisation further alleged that the interim administration has carried out mass arrests of Awami League leaders and activists while allowing extremist groups to operate freely, arguing that these actions have effectively dismantled the rule of law.

Reiterating its call for a neutral administration to oversee the 2026 elections, the Bangladesh Students’ League urged international actors to engage constructively to help ensure a credible democratic process and prevent further instability.

With IANS inputs