United News of Bangladesh

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that politically motivated and arbitrary detentions, which had become ‘entrenched’ under the Awami League government, have continued under the interim government, including the practice of naming hundreds of unidentified individuals as suspects in criminal cases. The New York-based human rights body came up with the observations in a report released on Wednesday. Quoting a report by the human rights group Odhikar in October, the HRW said at least 40 people had been killed by law enforcement since the interim government took charge, including 14 who allegedly died due to torture. Almost 8,000 people had been injured in political violence and 81 killed. In May, the government ordered a ‘temporary’ ban on the Awami League, using newly introduced powers under an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to the World Report 2026, Human Rights Watch’s 36th annual review of human rights practices and trends around the globe, which reviews developments in more than 100 countries. The ban includes, among other prohibitions, meetings, publications, and online speech supporting the party. In its Bangladesh chapter, the report said there were numerous attacks on journalists in 2025, often by non-state actors such as political party members and violent mobs. The police and courts also pursued cases under the Code of Criminal Procedure against writers accused by members of the public of ‘hurting religious sentiment’. Hundreds of Awami League leaders, members, and supporters are in custody as murder suspects, held without trial and routinely denied bail. This includes actors, lawyers, singers, and political activists, the report said. A further set of cases was launched following a clash between Awami League members and student protesters on February 8, in a campaign called ‘Operation Devil Hunt’, leading to at least 8,600 arrests, said the New York-based global rights body. Scores more may have been arrested under the draconian Special Powers Act and Anti-Terrorism Act, laws previously used to suppress dissent, it said. Women’s and Girls’ Rights Sexual and gender-based violence remained widespread, and women and girls had little recourse to seek protection or access justice. Women played a pivotal role in the 2024 uprising, but were not adequately represented in the interim government. Rohingya Refugees More than 100,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh since early 2024, fleeing fighting and abuses by the Myanmar military and Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group. Bangladesh authorities continued to advocate in 2025 for repatriation of over 1 million Rohingya refugees, although conditions for safe, voluntary, and dignified returns to Myanmar did not exist, said the report. Bangladesh held a stakeholders’ dialogue in Cox’s Bazar in August ahead of the UN General Assembly High-Level Conference on the Rohingya in September.  The Rohingya faced pressure and violence by armed groups and criminal gangs in the camps, including sexual violence, abductions, forced recruitment, and extortion. Many victims reported a near total lack of access to protection, legal assistance, and medical care, the HRW said. Cuts to foreign aid and the influx of new arrivals led to the closure of health care centers and early education programs, and reductions in food and cooking gas. Humanitarian workers warned of an expected increase in disease outbreaks and child malnutrition, as well as human trafficking, irregular migration, and gang violence. Attacks on Ethnic and Religious Minorities On July 26 and 27, a mob damaged at least 14 homes belonging to members of the Hindu minority in Rangpur district. The year also saw reports of continuing violations against minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Rape was among the crimes committed in the targeting of minority communities. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, established in 2024 following the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic Awami League government, struggled to maintain law and order, or deliver on promised human rights reforms. General elections are scheduled for February 12, 2026. Some of the fear and repression that marked Hasina’s 15-year rule, including widespread enforced disappearances, appeared to have ended. However, the interim government arbitrarily detained thousands of perceived political opponents and in May banned the Awami League, the HRW said. On November 17, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity committed during the attempted suppression of 2024 protests. Among the challenges faced by the interim government was an alarming surge in mob violence by political parties and other non-state groups, such as religious hardliners hostile to women’s rights and to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, said the global rights body. According to the Bangladeshi human rights group Ain O Salish Kendra, at least 124 people were killed in mob attacks between June and August 2025, it said. Accountability for Past Violations In February, a United Nations report found that police, border guards, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and intelligence agencies had engaged in serious human rights violations during the protests that toppled Hasina, leading to the killing of around 1,400 people. However, the HRW said, the government made limited progress in holding alleged perpetrators accountable. In July, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Police told the BBC that only 60 police officers had been arrested for their role in suppressing the 2024 protests. Stalled Reforms As Hasina consolidated power during her 15-year rule, she weakened state institutions, said the report, noting that after coming to office in 2024, the interim government established several commissions to recommend reforms including in the judiciary, electoral system, police, women’s rights, labor rights and the constitution. A Consensus Commission chaired by Yunus was then established to complete a package of recommended reforms. However, for reasons including lack of consensus among political stakeholders, few reforms were agreed on or implemented, said the HRW. On August 5, Prof Yunus announced the July Declaration, named for the month that the uprising against Hasina’s rule began, followed by a more detailed July Charter in October. In November, Prof Yunus announced a referendum on constitutional reforms to be held during the election, which would commit the incoming government to implement parts of the July Charter.

Global human rights organisations have expressed concern that the targeting of politicians, activists, major media outlets and cultural institutions in Bangladesh, amid heightened political tensions ahead of the 2026 national election, signals a troubling erosion of the rule of law and a shrinking space for free expression, civic discourse and democratic participation. "We stand in solidarity with Bangladesh’s journalists, media workers, artists, and diverse communities," said the organisations in a joint statement shared by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday (December 22, 2025). The organisations reiterated their commitment to defending freedom of expression, accountability, and the rights of communities to participate safely and freely in civic and cultural life—both offline and online. The signatories to the statement are Access Now, Article 19, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) and Tech Global Institute. Read more: Canadian envoy Ajit Singh highlights importance of press freedom They strongly condemned the violent attacks on December 18, 2025 on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, two of South Asia’s oldest and most reputed media institutions, and the vandalism of Chhayanaut, one of Bangladesh’s most respected cultural and educational institutions. These apparently coordinated acts of violence represent a grave escalation in attacks against independent media, journalists, activists, and cultural spaces in Bangladesh, said the rights bodies. "We are also deeply alarmed at the credible reports of public beating to death and burning of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka Upazila on the same night, following allegations that he made “derogatory remarks” on religion," the statement reads. These incidents followed the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a political activist and leading figure of Bangladesh’s 2024 July Uprising, who was shot in broad daylight in the country’s capital on December 12 and died on December 18, 2025. "We are particularly alarmed by verified reports indicating that journalists and staff were trapped inside the burning premises of the two news outlets, facing imminent risks to their lives," the joint statement says. Read more: Journalists to enjoy greater freedom after election: Khosru Any failure to respond promptly and effectively in such circumstances engages the state’s fundamental duty to protect life, the organisations said. Besides, they said, the forced temporary suspension of both print and online editions of the newspapers marks an unprecedented disruption to Bangladesh’s media landscape and underscores the severity of the threat faced by independent journalism, while the harassment and physical intimidation of journalists present at the scene reflects the growing boldness of those who seek to undermine media freedom in the absence of effective state protection. The attack on Chhayanaut also signals a broader pattern of hostility toward cultural institutions and practitioners, revealing an increasingly unsafe environment for artistic expression and diversity of opinion. "These developments point to a dangerous convergence of online and offline violence, coupled with long-standing patterns of coordinated harassment and state-sanctioned surveillance that have fostered a culture of impunity," said the rights bodies. There has been a documented pattern of attacks on freedom of thought and expression through abuse of the legal system, and intimidation and attacks of bauls, journalists, media workers, and artists throughout this year, the statement said. A number of these attacks appear to have been fueled by hate speech and explicit calls to violence online apparently posted by some prominent personalities with large followings on social media platforms, and further amplified by their followers and affiliated networks, it mentioned. Read more: Intimidation or bloodshed cannot halt Bangladesh’s march to democracy: Prof Yunus The continued circulation of such hate content highlights the technology sector’s failure to meet their human rights responsibilities, and their chronic underinvestment in user safety in the Global Majority, they said. These incidents further illustrate a failure of the state to respond promptly and effectively to online hate and incitement, despite well-documented and recurring patterns of hate speech and violent mobilization. While the interim government has promoted extensive cyber law reforms—proposals that have drawn criticism from civil society groups for lacking substance, practicality, and adequate consultation—the persistent spread of incitement to violence online exposes a profound enforcement failure and raises serious concerns about the efficacy of this government’s commitments to online safety. Bangladesh has binding obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as constitutional guarantees that protect freedom of expression, media freedom, cultural life, political and civic participation, and personal security. These obligations require the state to do everything they reasonably can to prevent, protect against, investigate, hold accountable those responsible, and remedy violations committed by both state and non-state actors. These failures must be understood in the context of the recent developments in Bangladesh. Read more: Attacks on Daily Star, Prothom Alo a direct assault on democracy: Fakhrul The organisations called on the interim government of Bangladesh to: Ensure immediate and effective protection for journalists, media workers, media houses, cultural and intellectual institutions, and their practitioners across the country, including through the deployment of adequate security measures where credible threats exist. Conduct swift, independent, and transparent investigations into the attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and Chhayanaut, as well as other journalists, media workers, and artists, and ensure that all perpetrators, planners, and instigators are held accountable through due process of law and victims or next-of-kin have access to effective remedies. Engage technology companies and social media platforms to implement proactive, proportionate and timely interventions against hate speech and incitement to violence, and which are responsive to emerging crises, and work with civil society and human rights groups to put in place safeguards that protect user safety and free expression during the election. Publicly and unequivocally condemn all acts of violence, intimidation, and harassment against journalists, media outlets, and cultural and intellectual institutions, and reaffirm the state’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression and cultural life. Guarantee a safe and enabling environment for journalism, cultural expression, and civic participation—both offline and online—particularly in the lead-up to the 2026 national election. Align national laws, policies, and practices with Bangladesh’s constitutional guarantees and its international human rights obligations, including under the ICCPR, to safeguard freedom of expression, media freedom, and personal security. Read more: Attacks on institutions threaten restoration of democracy: Rizvi

Deputy Asia Director at the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Meenakshi Ganguly on Thursday said Bangladesh’s interim government has taken significant strides towards a democratic and rights-respecting future, but its progress could evaporate without deep institutional reform and international support. “The interim government needs to protect Rohingya refugees, support credible investigations and reparations for enforced disappearances and provide for civilian oversight over security forces,” Ganguly said. Arrest warrant for Hasina: HRW calls for amending ICT law to ensure fair trials; opposes ban on party Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Prize laureate Mohammed Yunus, has set up a commission to investigate enforced disappearances and pledged reforms and accountability for rights abuses under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian rule, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2025 on Thursday. The interim government should reform institutions in line with international human rights standards with the help of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, disband the notorious Rapid Action Battalion, reform security forces to ensure independent oversight and accountability, and pursue justice for the victims of enforced disappearances and their families, said the HRW, adding that interim government pledged accountability and credible elections. Bangladesh shipbreaking industry lacks adequate oversight: HRW It should also ensure unfettered access for human rights monitors to the Chittagong Hill Tracts and work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to register Rohingya refugees so that they can access protection, medical care, and food rations, it said. During the crackdowns on student-led protests over three weeks in July and August, over 1,000 people were killed and many thousands injured due to excessive and indiscriminate use of ammunition by security forces. For the 546-page world report, in its 35th edition, Human Rights Watch reviewed human rights practices in more than 100 countries. In much of the world, Executive Director Tirana Hassan writes in her introductory essay, governments cracked down and wrongfully arrested and imprisoned political opponents, activists and journalists. Armed groups and government forces unlawfully killed civilians, drove many from their homes, and blocked access to humanitarian aid. In many of the more than 70 national elections in 2024, authoritarian leaders gained ground with their discriminatory rhetoric and policies, according to HRW. Probe into enforced disappearances: HRW says Bangladesh should seek expertise, technical assistance from UN Activists have raised concerns that security forces have continued to carry out abuses, including arbitrary arrests of opposition supporters and journalists and denying them due process and proper access to legal counsel. While the interim government acceded to the United Nations Convention on Enforced Disappearances, security forces have failed to release those unlawfully detained or provide answers to their families about what happened to them, said the HRW. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who fled Myanmar and are living in refugee camps are at risk of violence at hands of armed groups and gangs. Unregistered refugees risk hunger and do not seek health care out of fear that they will be returned to Myanmar.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has sought urgent investigations into Rohingya leader Mohibullah’s killing along with other attacks on Rohingya activists in the camps. “Mohibullah was a vital voice for the community of Rohingya who had suffered unimaginable loss and pain when they arrived as refugees in Bangladesh,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch on Thursday.  Read: Mohib's murder: US, UK envoys express deep shock “He always defended the rights of the Rohingya to safe and dignified returns and to have a say in the decisions concerning their lives and future." Mohibullah’s death undermines not only the struggle of Rohingya refugees for greater rights and protection in the refugee camps, but also their efforts to safely return to their homes in Myanmar, Ganguly said.  Read: Rohingya leader Mohibullah assassinated Mohibullah, 46, chair of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday night. Mohibullah had served as a leader among the nearly one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, documenting the Myanmar military’s crimes against the Rohingya and advocating for the refugees’ rights in international forums.