New York, August 24: The American human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concern over politically motivated police detentions and arrests in Bangladesh. The organization has appealed to the Bangladeshi administration to expedite the resolution of cases against individuals associated with the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. HRW claims that hundreds of people are imprisoned without any charges.
According to HRW, following weeks of violent protests in August 2024 that led to Hasina’s removal from power, police detained thousands of party officials, activists, and supporters.
The organization reported that since the appointment of Prime Minister Tariq Rahman in February 2026, around ten Awami League officials have died in custody, most of whom had no evidence linking them to any crimes.
Families and lawyers of those detained have alleged that many, including elderly individuals and those suffering from serious illnesses, have been denied basic facilities such as bail and medical treatment.
Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director, stated, “Over successive governments, hundreds of opposition members have been jailed without evidence or due legal process. Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s government promised reforms, and as a first step, they should end the arbitrary and prolonged detention of political opponents.”
The human rights organization criticized the ruling BNP government’s new ‘National Human Rights Commission Bill,’ warning that if adopted in its current form, the new commission would lose the power to investigate arbitrary arrests.
HRW noted that among those detained without charges are former Awami League MPs, other former legislators supporting Hasina’s administration, and activists, officials, and journalists backing the Awami League government. Allegations of extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances have been made against members of the security forces, with some facing corruption charges.
The organization further stated that despite a lack of evidence, government lawyers have repeatedly opposed bail applications. Additionally, lower magistrate and district courts in Bangladesh have continued to deny bail, often disregarding High Court orders due to new cases being filed by government officials.
Expressing deep concern over ongoing detentions and deaths in custody, HRW emphasized that a judge or competent authority should review the detention of each individual to determine its legality and necessity. The organization insisted that any pre-trial restrictions should align with the rights to freedom, presumption of innocence, and equality.
Pearson remarked, “A justice system that allows the elderly to die in custody before being charged does not view pre-trial detention as an exceptional measure, as it should always be. The Bangladesh government must order a fair investigation into all deaths in custody and stop the arbitrary long-term detention of individuals without charges.”
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.