Global rights groups urge action against Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus over silence on Bangladesh violence, warning that moral authority demands accountability as minorities, women, and media face escalating human rights abuses under the interim government.
International human rights organisations have intensified calls for accountability against Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of failing to exercise moral leadership amid escalating violence and human rights abuses in Bangladesh. Yunus, who currently serves as the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, is facing criticism for what rights groups describe as a troubling public silence during a deepening humanitarian crisis.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, multiple human rights representatives expressed grave concern over Yunus’s lack of public condemnation of violence occurring across the country. The letter, shared publicly by Canada-based think tank Global Centre for Democratic Governance (GCDG) on social media platform X, argues that silence from a global moral figure carries serious ethical implications.
The signatories stated that when an individual entrusted with international moral authority and national responsibility fails to speak during widespread suffering, that silence itself becomes a form of ethical failure. They stressed that the Nobel Peace Prize is not merely an honorific title but a lifelong obligation to defend justice, peace, and human dignity.
The appeal comes amid reports of widespread unrest in Bangladesh under the interim administration led by Yunus. According to rights groups, the violence intensified following the murder of radical Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Since then, minorities, media organisations, cultural institutions, and even diplomatic missions have reportedly been targeted in coordinated attacks.
Human rights observers cited credible reports, eyewitness testimonies, and independent documentation detailing destruction of homes and livelihoods, attacks on religious and cultural sites, and systematic intimidation of vulnerable communities. Religious and ethnic minorities have been identified as particularly at risk, while women and children are among those suffering the most severe consequences.
The letter underscores that for more than a century, the Nobel Peace Prize has symbolised humanity’s highest ethical commitment to peace and moral courage. Its legitimacy, the authors argue, depends not only on the prestige of its recipients but on their willingness to demonstrate moral clarity during times of crisis.
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Rights advocates are now urging the Norwegian Nobel Committee to take note of the situation and remind laureates of their ethical responsibilities. While the letter stops short of demanding formal sanctions, it calls for urgent international pressure to ensure accountability, transparency, and protection for vulnerable populations in Bangladesh.
As violence continues and humanitarian concerns deepen, global attention is increasingly focused on whether Muhammad Yunus will break his silence and uphold the moral standards associated with one of the world’s most respected peace honors.
