Bangladeshi Academicians and Professionals Abroad Show Concern Over Ongoing Repression in Bangladesh

In a joint statement issued today, a group of Bangladeshi academicians and professionals living abroad have expressed deep concern over the escalating repression of opposition voices in Bangladesh. The statement highlights recent incidents of violence against political activists and calls on the authorities to uphold democratic principles and protect the rights of all citizens.

The signatories of the statement have condemned what they perceive as a coordinated assault on Mohammad Ashraful Alam, also known as Hero Alam, an independent candidate for the Dhaka-17 constituency by-election. The alleged attack by members of law enforcement agencies and ruling party workers has raised serious questions about the impartiality of the electoral process in the country.

Furthermore, the group has strongly criticized the ruling party's involvement in violent confrontations with peaceful rallies organized by opposition political parties. These rallies sought to demand a free, fair, and inclusive election conducted under the supervision of a neutral government. Tragically, one individual, identified as Sajib (30), lost his life during one such rally in the southeastern district of Lakshmipur.

In light of this incident, the signatories of the statement are urging the authorities to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into the violence that led to the death of Sajib. They are also calling for the perpetrators responsible for the tragedy to be brought to justice swiftly.

The academicians and professionals abroad have emphasized the need for the authorities to respect and protect the fundamental rights of all citizens, regardless of their political affiliations. They urge the government to uphold the right to freedom of expression, assembly, and association for all political parties and groups in Bangladesh. Importantly, the signatories stress the importance of creating an environment where citizens can express their views without fear of reprisals or violence.

This joint statement highlights the growing concern among the Bangladeshi diaspora regarding the political situation in their home country. The escalating repression of opposition voices and the alleged involvement of law enforcement agencies and ruling party workers in violence have raised international eyebrows and cast a shadow over the country's democratic credentials.

As the situation unfolds, the eyes of the international community remain on Bangladesh, urging the authorities to address these concerns and uphold democratic values. The call for an independent investigation into the recent incidents of violence and the protection of citizens' rights may serve as a pivotal moment for the nation's political landscape.

Signatories of the statement

1. Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University in Qatar
2. Dr Abdul Aziz, Lecturer, Monash University Malaysia
3. Dr. Jamal Uddin, Lecturer, Cornell University, USA
4. Shafquat Rabbee, Adjunct Faculty, University of Dallas, Texas, USA
5. Dr. Mohammad Ahsanul Haque, Aarhus University, Denmark
6. Dr. Imtiaz Khan, Associate Professor, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK
7. Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Hassan, Research Associate, Computer Science Department, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
8. Dr. Rakibul Islam, Senior Researcher, Monash University
9. Dr. Faham Abdus Salam, Writer. 
10. Dr. Zahed Arman, Assistant Professor, Framingham State University, Massachusetts, U.S.A  
11. Mohammad Imran Hossain (Ansary), Adjunct Faculty, State University of New York, USA
12. Sultan Mohammed Zakaria, PhD Student, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; Country Specialist for Bangladesh and Pakistan, Amnesty International USA
13. Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam, Assistant Professor, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit Universit; Adjunct Faculty, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
14. Sibbir Ahmad, PhD Student, Michigan State University, USA
15. M H Mahmud, Graduate Student, University of British Columbia, Canada
16. M Fahim, Graduate Student, University of Leeds, UK
17. Zunaid Almamun, Graduate Student, Wayne State University, USA
18. Md. Talha, Graduate Student, University of Bergen, Norway
19. Shamsul Islam Chowdhury, Graduate Student, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
20. Muhammad Abdur Raqib, University of California, Irvine, USA
21. Md. Sajjadur Rahman Chowdhury, Graduate Student, Georgia State University, USA
22. Mir Hasan, University of Bremen, Germany
23. S. Arefin, Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts, USA
24. Mizanur Rahman, PhD Candidate, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
25. Md Al Amin, Graduate Student, University of Georgia, USA
26. S. Islam, Graduate Student, Purdue University, USA
27. Md Rahamatullah, PhD student, South Asian University, India
28. Zahidul Islam, Graduate Student, Ghent University, Belgium
29. Ahmed Zobayer, PhD researcher, Selcuk University, Turkiye 
30. Ikhtiarul Arefeen, Erasmus Scholar, Central European University, Vienna, Austria & Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals, Barcelona, Spain
31. Shah Jahan Shuvo, PhD student, University of Alabama, USA
32. Billal Hossain, SOAS, UK.
33. Manzur H. Maswood, PhD student, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA 
34. Md Sahidul Islam, Graduate Student, University of Memphis, USA
35.  Minhazul Abedin, PhD student, Istanbul University, Turkiye.
36. Hasan Al Monem, PhD Student, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA
37. Rahnuma Siddika, PhD Student, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. 
38. Kazi Ruhullah Shahriar, PhD Candidate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA. 
39. Kazi Md Mukitul Islam, PhD Student, Boston University, USA
40. Afzal Zami Syed-Ali, Barrister at Legis Chambers, Holborn, London 
41. Sakib Muhammed, Graduate Student, London School of Economics.