In a letter written to the UN Ethical Office, an UK-based independent non-governmental organisation called the International Crimes Research Foundation (ICRF) highlighted the political violence, heritage destruction and other Human Rights violations that have engulfed Bangladesh.
The objective of the rally was to desecrate and demolish the graveyard of Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Visuals of the forces in Bangladesh opening fire, with clear instructions, have gone viral. Sources alleged that Pakistan sympathisers with the Bangladesh Army may have been behind firing.
“On 16 July 2025, a political group known as the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCP), which is neither registered with the Election Commission nor holds any legal status as an Electoral Political Party, marched into Gopalganj with thousands of its followers,” ICRF said in a letter to the UN.
“Their reported objective was to desecrate and demolish the graveyard of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman- a sacred and symbolic national site that holds profound emotional, historical, and political significance for our people,” the letter furthered.
The ICRF noted that while the residents resisted the party workers, the Bangladesh Army deployed forces in support of the NCP (pro Islamists student party). The group accused the country’s army of using lethal weapons to open fire on “unarmed civilians”. Contrary to the figure that is being reported by multiple Bangladeshi news outlets, the report suggested that at least 21 people lost their lives in the clashes and a civilian was arrested and tortured by the authorities.ICRF went on to demand an independent international investigation into the Gopalganj crisis. The group also urged the UN to hold the Bangladesh Army accountable under international law for any violations of human rights, including extrajudicial killings and torture
The Yunus regime has blamed the banned Awami League for the violence.
