A congressional briefing in Washington has cast doubt on the credibility of Bangladesh’s parliamentary election, with some speakers arguing that a vote held without the Awami League will remain “fundamentally flawed”.

The event, titled “Violence Against Religious Minorities in Bangladesh”, was held on Monday at Capitol Hill, three days before the national election.

It was organised by HinduACTion and the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA).

Speakers called for designating Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as a foreign terrorist organisation, imposing sanctions over alleged failures to protect democracy and minority rights, and holding the Muhammad Yunus-led government accountable for what they described as impunity in cases of extortion and sexual violence.

ELECTION ‘CANNOT BE FREE OR FAIR’

Representative Suhas Subramanyam pointed to rising attacks on Hindus and criticised the elections as fundamentally flawed, noting that the Awami League, the party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has been barred from participation.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Subramanyam said, arguing the vote cannot be considered free or fair.

Republican Congressman Tom Barrett of Michigan said the United States remains committed to regional stability and does not support violence based on religious identity.

“We do not support anyone being attacked or killed because of their religious beliefs,” he said.

CALL TO DESIGNATE JAMAAT

Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, supported calls to designate Jamaat as a terrorist organisation.

Rubin described Yunus as an “enemy of democracy and humanity” and argued that the Feb 12 election would lack legitimacy.

Referring to concerns about engagement with Islamist actors, Rubin said, “If you defeat genocide but don't defeat the ideology that backed it, it will re-emerge,” calling the current moment a “wake-up call”.

WARNINGS OVER RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

In a recorded message, former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback warned that communal persecution carries long-term demographic and economic consequences.

He predicted that continued violence would drive religious minorities out of Bangladesh, weakening the country's economy and social fabric.

“Religious freedom is always the canary in the coal mine,” foreign policy analyst Rubin said, cautioning that once tolerance erodes, it is exceedingly difficult to restore.

MEDIA FREEDOM AND MINORITY SAFETY

Former National Press Club president Farida Yasmin highlighted what she described as a deteriorating media environment, claiming that nearly 300 journalists have been accused of murder and calling for the release of detained reporters.

Priya Saha, president of the South Asian Minorities Collective, alleged that minorities face insecurity and that violence often occurs in the presence of law enforcement.

Independent journalist Shuvo Roy criticised what he termed muted international media coverage.

“You cannot call an election free and fair when the country's major political force has been barred,” he said, warning that impunity thrives when scrutiny fades.

‘PEACE IS MORE THAN THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT’

Closing the briefing, HinduACTion Communications Director Adelle Nazarian framed the issue as both moral and strategic.

“Peace is not the absence of conflict,” she said. “Peace is the presence of dignity, equal protection, and an election that is more than theatre.”

Participants issued a joint declaration urging the House Foreign Affairs Committee to convene an emergency oversight hearing on US engagement with Bangladesh, designate Bangladesh a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom violations, and impose targeted sanctions.

Representatives of several lawmakers, including Senator Cory Booker and Congress members Mike Levin, Young Kim and Dave Min, were present at the event.

Officials from multiple think tanks and members of the Bangladeshi diaspora also attended.