Exclusive: Report criticized for inaccuracies and alleged bias in favor of Sheikh Hasina’s ousted government
A report on Bangladesh published by a UK parliamentary group has been retracted after being criticized for alleged inaccuracies and a perceived bias toward the ousted government of Sheikh Hasina.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Commonwealth released the report in November 2024, condemning the current administration in Bangladesh. However, it faced significant backlash, with claims that its findings were misleading and overly sympathetic to the former regime led by Hasina, who was ousted three months earlier in a student-led uprising.
Following complaints, including one raised by a Labour MP in the House of Commons, the report has been withdrawn and is now under review. An APPG spokesperson confirmed:
“The report in question remains an internal document under review and has been shared with the [Foreign Office] as part of the group’s broader deliberative process. It is not intended for wider dissemination, and the APPG will not be taking the matter further or making any follow-ups.”
Controversial Content and Political Fallout
The report, titled The Ongoing Situation in Bangladesh, sparked debate upon its release, particularly for its criticism of Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning successor to Sheikh Hasina. Yunus took office after Hasina’s government was toppled by a widespread rebellion, which was met with a brutal crackdown by security forces, leaving an estimated 1,000 people dead.
In the accompanying press release, Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative chair of the APPG, warned that the new administration risked losing international goodwill:
“Bangladesh should have a great future where opportunities are open and available to everyone rather than just supporters of whatever regime is in power. Without an immediate change of tack, the goodwill the new government enjoys internationally will be in danger of evaporating.”
The report accused Yunus’s administration of politically motivated prosecutions and aligning with hardline Islamist factions. It cited evidence from the Rights & Risk Analysis Group, a New Delhi-based think tank, to claim that murder charges were being indiscriminately leveled against former officials, Awami League leaders, and other public figures.
However, critics, including experts and MPs, pointed out flaws in the report. It allegedly underestimated the number of deaths during the unrest and incorrectly stated that most casualties occurred after Hasina had fled the country, rather than as a result of the violent crackdown by her security forces.
Discrepancies with UN Findings
The report contradicted an earlier assessment by the UN human rights commissioner, which attributed most casualties to actions by security forces under Hasina’s government. The APPG report claimed that:
“The majority of these [deaths occurred] after 5 August when millions came into the streets protesting against police tactics against demonstrators and looking for reprisals against supporters of the last government.”
In contrast, the UN report from August 2024 stated:
“The majority of deaths and injuries have been attributed to the security forces and the student wing affiliated with the Awami League.”
Further, the APPG report claimed that the current government had charged 194,000 individuals with crimes. Experts clarified that this figure likely referred to the number of names listed in police reports rather than the actual number of prosecutions.
Criticism from MPs and Experts
Rupa Huq, a Labour MP who recently visited Bangladesh, dismissed the report as a “hatchet job” against the interim government. Speaking in the Commons, she said Yunus himself had raised concerns about the document, asking:
“What is your government doing, issuing these falsities in the name of parliament?”
Naomi Hossain, a professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, also criticized the report’s quality and intent:
“The report features basic errors that the most superficial knowledge of Bangladesh would prevent. It is either egregiously biased or just extremely bad analysis. As a tool for accountability, it fails completely.”
The controversy has drawn attention to Tulip Siddiq, a former City minister and niece of Sheikh Hasina. Siddiq recently resigned after her undisclosed connections to the Awami League surfaced, prompting accusations of political interference by the party in UK politics.
Shifting Focus of the APPG
Amid the backlash, the APPG on the Commonwealth has decided to discontinue country-specific reporting and instead focus on the broader mission of the Commonwealth of Nations. A spokesperson for the group said:
“The group has decided to shift its focus exclusively toward the Commonwealth of Nations as an institution and, as such, will no longer be producing country-specific reports.”
The controversy surrounding the report underscores the complexities of international politics and the challenges of maintaining objectivity in evaluating political transitions. It also highlights the importance of ensuring that findings presented in parliamentary documents are accurate and unbiased.
As Bangladesh continues to navigate its post-Hasina era, questions remain about the direction of its governance under Yunus and the role of international actors in shaping perceptions of the country’s political landscape.
