Mob violance and rising insecurity are undermining Bangladesh’s democratic foundations, speakers warned at a policy dialogue in Dhaka on Sunday, stressing that minority rights cannot be ensured without rule of law, political accountability and meaningful representation ahead of the 2026 national election.
The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) hosted the roundtable, titled “Democracy for All: Minority Rights, Representation and the National Election 2026,” at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka at 3pm on Sunday.
Representatives of minority communities, civil society members, academics, journalists and human rights activists attended the discussion, which focused on minorities’ lived experiences and the responsibilities of political parties to ensure safety, inclusion and credible electoral commitments.
The speakers included Dr Sukomal Barua, adviser to the BNP chairperson; Nirmal Rozario, senior vice president of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council; Manindra Kumar Nath, acting general secretary; Jayanta Kumar Deb, president of the Dhaka Metropolitan Public Puja Committee; Bijan Kanti Sarkar, chairman of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Welfare Front; Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori; senior journalists Basudeb Dhar and Sohrab Hassan; Bangladesh Adivasi Forum leaders Sanjeeb Drong, Pallab Chakma and Ripon Chandra Banai; human rights activist Ilira Dewan; Dalit Parishad Dhaka division head Chandra Mohan Robidas; ULAB part-time lecturer Munni Marina Chiran; Brave Dimension Global president Mir Abu Reyad; and others.
CGS President Zillur Rahman opened the dialogue by questioning the quality of democratic practice as the country approaches the 2026 election.
“Democracy means a state where the voices of minorities are heard, even though they are fewer in number,” he said, arguing that the state must treat minorities as “assets” and uphold their dignity.
Referring to the Liberation War, Zillur Rahman said independence was achieved collectively, yet electoral participation and security remain uncertain for many communities. “Will minorities be able to vote safely? Will representation be ensured? These are now open questions,” he said.
Noting that minorities make up roughly 8% of the population, he criticized political parties for tokenism, saying minority representation is often ensured “only on paper” for political convenience. “Party manifestos must clearly address minority rights and electoral participation,” he said, adding: “Without democracy and rule of law, minority rights cannot be realized.”
Dr Sukomal Barua questioned why separate institutions are required to protect certain communities if rights are meant to be universal.
“If rights truly belong to all, why do we need separate Dalit, Adivasi, Christian or Buddhist organizations to protect them?” he asked, describing this reality as a reflection of widespread denial of fundamental rights. He called for collective action, stressing that freedom and protection must be equal for all citizens.
Nirmal Rozario said minority rights are inseparable from human rights. “Minority rights are human rights. If minority rights are fully ensured, there should be no question about human rights,” he said.
He warned that “voter politics” often turns against humanity and said democracy cannot survive without inclusive values fostered at home, in educational institutions, workplaces and public life. Rozario urged political leaders to embed minority issues in electoral commitments and ensure legal guarantees of security and parliamentary representation.
Manindra Kumar Nath said minorities continue to face insecurity and discrimination, questioning the state’s willingness to listen. “The government lacks the mindset to hear minority issues,” he said, calling it deeply disappointing.
Referring to continued persecution since 1971, he asked: “If religious hatred persists, how can we expect democracy and human rights?” He said fear silences many victims, warning that such silence is self-destructive. “I do not want to be seen as a minority,” he said. “I want the same rights as any citizen.”
Several speakers highlighted mob violence and what they described as a breakdown of law enforcement.
Jayanta Kumar Deb said the situation has moved beyond debate. “Mobocracy is taking the lives of minorities,” he said, questioning whether this reflects the ideals of the Liberation War. He alleged that minorities remain unable to vote freely due to fear, regardless of which political force is in power.
Chandra Mohan Robidas said mob violence destroys the foundation of justice, warning that religious sentiment is being weaponised against Adivasi, Dalit and minority communities. “Every citizen must be able to vote freely and without fear,” he said.
Khushi Kabir said the term “minority” itself reflects political processes that marginalize groups through systems and structures. “Democracy exists to protect all citizens, yet minorities remain excluded,” she said, noting that religious marginalization is also rising in neighbouring countries. She urged a shift towards equal dignity and opportunity for all.
Basudeb Dhar questioned Bangladesh’s progress in institutionalizing secularism and minority rights since independence, noting that the 1972 constitution did not adequately address indigenous rights. He criticised political parties for repeatedly promising minority protections in manifestos since 2014 without meaningful delivery.
He warned that religion continues to be used as a tool for power and said maintaining law and order during the upcoming election must be a priority.
Adivasi Forum leaders Sanjeeb Drong and Pallab Chakma echoed similar concerns, saying electoral pledges rarely translate into action. Chakma urged political parties to engage directly with Adivasi communities rather than treating them as symbolic references in election documents.
Ilira Dewan said the absence of minority rights in party manifestos undermines trust in future guarantees, questioning claims that “everyone is equal” amid decades of discrimination.
Sohrab Hassan said advocates for minority rights are often labelled traitors, while those accused of land grabbing and forced displacement remain influential. “If such individuals retain power, prospects for change remain bleak,” he said.
The dialogue also addressed structural exclusion in education and employment.
Munni Marina Chiron said Adivasi youth often lack access to higher education despite talent, calling for targeted programs in skills development, employment, loans and entrepreneurship.
Mir Abu Reyad said job advertisements typically recognize only “men and women,” excluding other communities and reinforcing invisibility. He highlighted discrimination faced by the Hijra community in healthcare and urged inclusive representation across sectors, including school textbooks. He also stressed housing security during disasters and called on parties to clearly address minority rights in their election manifestos.
The discussion was moderated by CGS President Zillur Rahman.
