6 human rights groups urge govt to ensure justice, lift AL ban

Six international human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), have called on the interim government of Bangladesh to uphold citizens’ rights and freedoms, lift ban on Awami League activities and ensure justice for enforced disappearances and killings.

In a joint letter to Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, the organisations urged the government to guarantee free and fair national elections, strengthen human rights protections, and implement key reforms. The letter, published on HRW’s website on October 20, also called for lifting the ban on Awami League’s political activities and ending arbitrary arrests and detentions of its members.

The other signatories include CIVICUS, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Fortify Rights, Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, and Tech Global Institute.

The groups expressed concern that Bangladesh’s security sector remains unreformed, with limited accountability and resistance to reform initiatives. They urged the interim government to play a stronger role in addressing past cases of enforced disappearances, killings, and torture under the previous administration.

The letter also recommended recognising enforced disappearance as a crime under international law, supporting a commission with full authority to investigate such cases, and adopting the “Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance.”

Furthermore, it suggested reforming the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in line with the Paris Principles, repealing or amending repressive laws such as the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, and ensuring data protection laws meet global standards.

The groups also demanded protection for journalists from arbitrary arrest and state harassment, urging the government to implement media freedom recommendations by the Media Reform Commission.

The letter called for withdrawing politically motivated cases filed before and after August 2024 and releasing individuals detained without evidence of political violence. It also pressed for lifting restrictions on Awami League activities under anti-terrorism laws, stating that such bans undermine multiparty democracy and disenfranchise millions of voters.

On the Rohingya crisis, the groups warned that Myanmar remains unsafe for repatriation and urged Bangladesh to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s ongoing investigation.

Praising the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for recent actions against security officials accused of grave violations, the letter urged the interim government to declare a moratorium on the death penalty. It also recommended disbanding the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and limiting the powers of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) to ensure a rights-respecting security apparatus.