Govt, TIB differ on rights record

Bangladesh’s democratic transition has come under scrutiny over the state of human rights and accountable governance, with the government and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) presenting sharply contrasting assessments of the past seven months.

Prime Minister’s Education and Primary and Mass Education Adviser Mahdi Amin said the BNP-led government had ensured an unprecedented level of freedom of expression and human rights since taking office.

TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, however, said the organisation’s data showed that rights violations and restrictions on dissent had continued.

The contrasting views emerged at a discussion titled “Democracy, Human Rights and Accountable Governance” at TIB’s Dhanmondi office on Tuesday, marking International Day of Democracy.

According to TIB, the seven-month period saw 52 incidents of harassment linked to freedom of expression, 58 arrests, 51 cases of custodial torture, seven deaths in law enforcement custody and one enforced disappearance.

Mahdi Amin said there had been no politically motivated human rights violations in the conduct of state affairs during the period.

“There are some limitations. It is difficult to uproot 17 years of fascist debris all at once,” he said.

“There have been no enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings or custodial deaths with state backing anywhere.

The state has not deprived opposition parties or people with different views or ideologies of their values,” he said.

He also claimed that the country had witnessed “the highest level of freedom of expression in history”.

“Although there have been instances of indecent and abusive behaviour in some places, we have so far seen the highest level of tolerance and coexistence. This was also the aspiration of the July mass uprising,” he said.

Mahdi Amin said people were the source of political power and argued that a government elected through a free and fair election could establish a democratic state system.

Bangladesh had long suffered from a democratic deficit, he said, adding that fascism had taken root because a government that did not derive its authority from the people had remained in power.

He alleged that the previous government had relied on state machinery, various forces, the judiciary, a subservient foreign policy and the administration to retain power.

Responding to the adviser, Iftekharuzzaman said TIB’s findings did not support the claim that there had been no human rights violations.
“Unfortunately, the data tells a different story,” he said.

According to TIB, at least 52 incidents of harassment related to freedom of expression were recorded during the period, while 58 people were arrested, most under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“Arresting people under the Anti-Terrorism Act for exercising freedom of expression was not expected in post-2024 Bangladesh,” Iftekharuzzaman said.

He said the law and order situation had yet to return to normal partly because the police had not fully recovered ethically.
“Even so, several issues are concerning us,” he said.

More than 1,700 incidents of violence against women and girls were recorded during the period, including 503 rape cases, he said.

Iftekharuzzaman also said there should have been no custodial torture, yet 51 such incidents had been recorded.

Seven people died in the custody of law enforcement agencies, while one enforced disappearance involving a law enforcement agency was reported.

Mahdi Amin later reiterated that, to his knowledge, there had been no politically motivated human rights violations.

“Previously, lists used to be prepared from a particular office, the highest office of the state, and then handed over. There was direct intervention from the highest level of the state,” he said.

He added that isolated mistakes or undesirable incidents within the vast state structure were being brought under accountability.

Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal Barishal district committee member secretary and women’s leader Dr Manisha Chakraborty and former NCP leader Dr Tasnim Zara, among others, attended the discussion.