‘Arbitrary detentions, rights abuses continue under interim government’

Staff Reporter :

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday that politically motivated and arbitrary detentions that became entrenched under the former Awami League government have continued under interim administration, raising serious concerns about the rule of law, accountability, and human rights protections.

In a statement on its website, HRW said hundreds of Awami League leaders, members, and supporters are currently in custody as murder suspects, many held without trial and routinely denied bail.

Authorities have continued the practice of filing criminal complaints that name hundreds of unnamed individuals as accused, a tactic long criticised by rights groups. Those detained include actors, lawyers, singers, and political activists.

HRW said a fresh wave of cases followed clashes between Awami League members and student protesters on February 8, after authorities launched a campaign known as “Operation Devil Hunt.”

The operation led to at least 8,600 arrests, with many more possibly detained under the Special Powers Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act – laws previously used to silence dissent.

The rights group also highlighted violence on July 16 in Gopalganj, where clashes involving security forces and supporters of the now-banned Awami League left five people dead following a rally by the National Citizen Party, formed by leaders of the 2024 student protests.

Police later detained hundreds of alleged Awami League supporters and filed 10 murder cases naming more than 8,400 mostly unnamed suspects, despite the government’s denial that it carried out mass arrests.

Citing an October report by Odhikar, HRW said at least 40 people have been killed by law enforcement since the interim government took office, including 14 who allegedly died due to torture. Nearly 8,000 people were injured in political violence, and 81 were killed.

HRW noted that a United Nations report released in February found police, border guards, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and intelligence agencies responsible for serious human rights violations during the 2024 protests that toppled Sheikh Hasina, resulting in around 1,400 deaths.

However, accountability has been limited. In July, a Bangladesh Police spokesperson told the BBC that only 60 officers had been arrested in connection with the crackdown.

The interim government has chosen to prosecute alleged crimes committed under the Awami League at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).

In November, the tribunal sentenced Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in absentia for crimes against humanity.
HRW said the tribunal has been plagued by fair trial violations and, despite some legal amendments, still lacks key due process safeguards and retains the death penalty.
HRW also pointed to the work of a commission established to investigate enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings under the Awami League.
The commission had received more than 1,850 complaints by August 2025, but investigators reported obstruction, including destroyed evidence and lack of cooperation from security forces. Authorities filed charges against 28 people in October.
According to HRW, promised institutional reforms have largely stalled. Although the interim government formed several reform commissions and announced the July Declaration and July Charter, few proposals have been implemented due to political disagreements. A planned referendum on constitutional reforms is expected to coincide with national elections.
HRW also raised concerns about women’s and girls’ rights, noting that sexual and gender-based violence remains widespread and women are underrepresented in decision-making.
Proposed reforms to strengthen women’s rights sparked mass protests by Islamist groups earlier this year.
The organisation highlighted worsening conditions for Rohingya refugees, continued attacks on ethnic and religious minorities, growing economic hardship, and restrictions on freedom of expression.
HRW said the government’s temporary ban on the Awami League and continued use of restrictive laws, including provisions of the Cyber Security Act, undermine basic civil liberties.
“The interim government has an opportunity to break from past abuses,” HRW said, urging authorities to end arbitrary detentions, ensure fair trials, and carry out genuine reforms in line with international human rights standards.