Shibbir Ahmed, New York – International human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concerns over the mass detention of opposition political activists in Bangladesh, warning of growing threats to political freedoms and human rights. In a report published on October 5, HRW said police detained approximately 290 people attending a meeting of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), a left-wing political party, in Dhaka on September 26.
According to the report written by Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director, members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) youth wing, Jubo Dal, alleged that the gathering was a secret meeting of the banned Awami League. The report said a court remanded 27 of those detained to custody over allegations that they had chanted “Joy Bangla,” a slogan associated with the Awami League.
The JSD was part of the 14-party alliance led by the Awami League, which governed Bangladesh from 2009 until 2024. The Sheikh Hasina government fell following student-led protests in 2024, during which hundreds of people were killed by security forces, according to the HRW report.
HRW also reported that police detained 12 Awami League activists in Barisal on September 26 over allegations that they had held a secret meeting to plan sabotage. Two days later, another 15 people were arrested in Dhaka under Bangladesh’s 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act on similar allegations. According to the report, those detained said they had gathered to mark former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s birthday.
The report noted that serious human rights violations occurred during Hasina’s rule, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and arbitrary detention of political opponents. The BNP also faced severe repression while it was in opposition. However, HRW stressed that past human rights abuses do not justify similar violations by the current government.
The organization expressed concern over the arbitrary detention of perceived Awami League supporters and the rollback of human rights safeguards proposed by the interim government.
International human rights law protects freedom of expression and association. According to HRW, violations committed under a previous government cannot justify restrictions on the same rights under a new administration. The report underscores continuing concerns over the protection of political freedoms, due process and the rule of law in Bangladesh.
