Culture of repression and impunity persists in Bangladesh despite positive steps: HRW

Despite a year passing since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government and the rise of an interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Bangladesh continues to grapple with a culture of repression and impunity. In a statement published on its website Wednesday, the US-based rights watchdog acknowledged some positive steps by the interim government but said the broader human rights situation remains dire.

HRW noted that while mass protests in 2024 had raised hopes for significant reform, progress has fallen short. “Thousands who risked their lives to oppose Sheikh Hasina’s repressive rule still await meaningful change,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, Deputy Director of HRW’s Asia Division. “The interim government seems trapped in a cycle of political retaliation, where vengeance, not rights, dominates the agenda.”

According to HRW, the widespread abuses under the Awami League’s 15-year rule—including enforced disappearances and political repression—have decreased, but a new wave of arbitrary arrests has emerged, targeting critics of the current administration.

On July 16, five people were killed during clashes at a rally organized by the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Gopalganj. In the aftermath, police filed murder cases against thousands of Awami League leaders and activists, many unnamed. Hundreds have since been detained, including numerous known opposition figures.

Between August 6 and September 25, 2024, police reportedly filed cases against over 92,000 individuals, most of them accused of involvement in murders. Among those charged is former Dhaka North mayor Atiqul Islam, who faces 68 murder cases—36 of which allegedly occurred while he was abroad. He has been in detention since October 2024, with no trial initiated to date.

HRW raised concerns over the political motivations behind many of these cases, while pointing out that security forces responsible for grave human rights violations under the previous regime have faced minimal accountability. Bangladesh Police told the BBC that only 60 officers have been arrested in connection with the 2024 violence, despite reports of broader involvement by police, RAB, and military personnel.

Shortly after taking office, the Yunus-led administration formed a commission to investigate enforced disappearances and signed an international anti-disappearance treaty. Over 1,800 complaints have been lodged with the commission, which has released two interim reports. However, progress has been hindered by allegations that security officials are destroying evidence and obstructing investigations, with some reportedly fleeing the country.

Meanwhile, 11 reform commissions formed to address issues ranging from policing to women's rights have submitted recommendations, but the government has yet to act on them. Cross-party dialogue remains sluggish, and implementation of the UN’s Resolution 1325 on women’s participation in peace and security remains limited.

Hundreds remain detained under the country’s Special Powers Act, including more than 8,600 individuals arrested during “Operation Devil Hunt” in February. Many families claim their detained relatives are Awami League supporters.

The first trial against Sheikh Hasina in her absence is scheduled to begin on August 3, with three individuals, including the former prime minister, formally accused. Investigations into other cases remain stalled, and many detainees continue to be held without formal charges.

HRW called for immediate reforms to the security sector, including the notorious Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the release of unlawfully detained individuals, and the safeguarding of judicial independence.

The organization urged foreign governments and the United Nations to impose targeted sanctions on human rights abusers, citing Canada, the UK, and Sweden as examples. It also called for international legal action against individuals accused of serious violations who have fled abroad.

“No one knows how this government will navigate the many challenges ahead,” Ganguly said. “But ensuring the changes that people died fighting for must now be the highest priority.”

She added that political parties once persecuted under the previous regime now bear the responsibility of establishing a system that protects all citizens' rights equally and ensures such injustice is never repeated.