Rather than heeding calls from int’l human rights and press freedom organisations to drop crimes against humanity charges against #journalists, the #Bangladesh authorities appear to be doubling down on what critics regard as the misuse of the criminal justice process by bringing fresh crimes against humanity charges against members of the press. Three journalists, Farzana Rupa, Mozammel Babu and Shyamal Dutta, detained for more than two years, are now facing prosecution for crimes against humanity charges arising from questions they asked and/or comments they made at a press conference on 14 July 2024. The allegations claim that the journalists “instigated” violence against protesters through their questions and comments. Commenting recently on the charges, journalist @TheDavidBergman wrote: “…but nothing that happened at the July 14 press conference—nothing said by those journalists—provides a credible basis for their arrests on such grounds. To claim otherwise is to misapply the law and misuse the criminal justice process.” Analysis: thedailystar.net/opinion/vie… This is not the first time journalists in Bangladesh have faced such extraordinary allegations under the successive administrations led by Muhammad Yunus and Tarique Rahman. The earlier decision to prosecute Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu on alleged crimes against humanity charges arising from their reporting of the violent events of 5 May 2013 was met with widespread concern and condemnation. Int’l human rights and press freedom organisations, as well as civil society groups, including @amnesty, @hrw, @article19org, @CPJAsia and @CIVICUSalliance, called for the charges to be dropped immediately. Rather than responding to these concerns, the BNP-led authorities in Bangladesh appear to have doubled down on the use of the criminal justice system against journalists. As David Bergman has warned that with such questionable charges: “It (ICT) risks becoming an instrument for prosecuting journalism and pursuing those whose politics the prosecutors oppose.” The growing use of crimes against humanity proceedings against journalists raises serious questions about press freedom, due process and the independence and proper use of Bangladesh’s criminal justice institutions. Journalists must not be prosecuted simply for their reporting, questions, opinions or political views. …

From BDWatch, we have regularly reported on the harassment and persecution of higher-education students in the post-Aug 2024 climate of fear in #Bangladesh, where thousands of students were targeted solely because of their perceived or actual political affiliations. A related but less discussed dimension of this Chinese Cultural Revolution–style “purge” has been the systematic targeting and removal of teachers from schools and colleges across Bangladesh. An estimated 4,500 teachers, including principals and other academic staff, have been forced to resign, in many cases while being surrounded, threatened or assaulted by violent mobs. At least eight teachers and academic staff have reportedly died following incidents involving physical assault, public humiliation and/or severe psychological trauma. A further 500 have reportedly suffered physical injuries or serious psychological distress, while approximately 940 academics continue to be deprived of their salaries and other employment-related entitlements. The overwhelming majority of those affected are teachers employed by private educational institutions. A large percentage of those affected include members of religious minority communities. Despite two government directives and High Court rulings intended to facilitate their reinstatement and restoration of their rights, many of these academics have been unable to return to their workplaces because of continuing concerns over their personal safety and security. Many also remain unable to recover unpaid salaries and other benefits. Repeated representations to the Ministry of Education and petitions before the courts have failed to provide effective relief to the aggrieved academics. These cases therefore raise serious concerns about due process, employment rights, academic freedom, institutional autonomy and the protection of educators from politically motivated persecution. News: dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/… It has been reported that Farida Sharmeen, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next month. Her visit presents an important opportunity to hear directly from affected teachers and students, whose experiences have received limited international attention. It is particularly important that the Special Rapporteur meet these individuals, document their grievances and assess whether adequate domestic remedies have been made available to them. For many of these persecuted academics, repeated recourse to authorities and the courts have failed to secure meaningful redress. Their cases therefore warrant independent international scrutiny and attention to ensure that their fundamental rights are restored and protected. … @UN_SPExperts @UN_HRC @UNSR_Education @UNESCO

In its latest statement titled “Bangladeshi Police Round Up Opposition Supporters: Mass Arrests Continue the Cycle of Political Repression,” the Human Rights Watch (HRW) has highlighted the issue of arbitrary detention and politically motivated arrests of opposition activists in #Bangladesh under the BNP-led government. In the statement, HRW described the mass arrest of around 290 activists and supporters of the small left-wing party JSD at a meeting in Dhaka on September 26 as “the latest incident in the Bangladesh authorities’ ongoing assault on civil and political rights.” HRW noted that, despite having itself been subjected to human rights violations under the Awami League (AL) government, the BNP, since assuming power in February 2026, has allegedly engaged in similar patterns of rights violations. @PearsonElaine, Asia Director at @hrw, stated: “BNP targeted its own perceived opponents with arbitrary detention and hundreds of Awami League members are currently in jail, mostly without charge.” The statement also highlighted the repeated police raids and arrests targeting alleged gatherings of AL supporters. On September 26, the same day as the JSD meeting, police in Barisal detained 12 AL activists for allegedly holding a “secret” meeting to “plan sabotage.” Two days later, police arrested another 15 people in Dhaka under the Anti-Terrorism Act on similar allegations. In both instances, those detained reportedly stated that they had gathered to mark the birthday of former Prime Minister #SheikhHasina. HRW expressed concern that the BNP came to power with a commitment to restore human rights, strengthen the rule of law, and uphold fundamental freedoms. Instead, the new government has engaged in arbitrary detention of political opponents and weakened or rolled back human-rights safeguards proposed by the interim government. HRW emphasised that past rights violations committed during the AL’s tenure cannot provide legal or moral justification for comparable violations by the BNP government. HRW also issued a broader warning about the consequences of continued violations of civil and political rights by stating: “Bangladeshi history is rife with examples of where such repression can lead,” Statement: hrw.org/news/2026/10/05/bang…

Five Int’l Human Rights and Press Freedom Organisations Urge Bangladesh Authorities to Drop ICT Investigations into Detained Journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu and Release All Journalists Detained in 2024 Protests Related Cases. Five int’l human rights and press freedom organisations, namely, @amnesty, @CPJAsia, @hrw, @article19org, and @CIVICUSalliance, have called on the #BNP Govt to ensure that #journalists do not face criminal charges, particularly for crimes against humanity, for their reporting. The joint statement came in response to #Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) deepening its investigation into crimes against humanity against detained journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu in relation to allegations arising from their broadcast coverage of the May 2013 Shapla Chattar violence. The statement reads: “A fundamental aspect of the right to freedom of expression is the protection of journalistic work, including reporting and editorial decisions on matters of significant public interest, especially where events are politically contested or disputed. Decisions about how to cover a contested political incident should not be criminalized, let alone prosecuted as crimes against humanity. The suggestion that such conduct could amount to an international crime is wrong as a matter of law. The decision to initiate proceedings without a legal foundation creates a chilling effect on journalists and media outlets in Bangladesh”. The statement also states that action at the ICT against Rupa and Babu goes against Bangladesh's obligations under Articles 15 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The five orgs urged the BNP Govt to drop the charges against Babu and Rupa. They also urged that the government to immediately release journalists Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Mozammel Babu, and Shyamal Dutta from cases where they are detained solely for their reporting, drop politically motivated charges brought against them for their journalistic work, and end the practice of case-stacking and mass First Information Reports (FIRs) against journalists and other people across Bangladesh. Statement: amnesty.org/en/documents/asa… @UNHumanRights @volker_turk @Irenekhan @ESandersFCDO @EURightsAgency @MediaFreedomC @IBAHRI @RSF_inter

#HRW Raises Fair Trial Concerns at #Bangladesh’s Int’l Crimes Tribunal: Urges Authorities to Ensure Due Process. Bangladesh authorities are failing to uphold international legal standards at the country’s Int’l Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The failures risk denying justice to victims, undermining the rule of law, falsely imprisoning political opponents, and repeating the rights violations of the past, according to the latest report from the @hrw. Human Rights Watch (HRW) monitoring of over a dozen cases being prosecuted by the ICT raises significant concerns regarding due process. Prosecutors and judges are relying on statements recorded by investigating officers that contain incriminating passages duplicated across multiple statements, casting doubt on their authenticity. According to the HRW, allegations based on duplicated witness statements show the lack of a credible justice process. There are several concerns re: the governing law too, which allows prosecutors to order the arrest of individuals without meeting any evidential threshold, to hold detainees for months without written reasons for their detention, and to provide no right of interlocutory appeal to a separate court. Trials can begin three weeks after the prosecution discloses its evidence, leaving little to no time for adequate defense preparation. Trials in absentia are held without appropriate safeguards including defendants’ right to choose lawyers to represent them. And the ICT restricts defense lawyers’ ability to cross-examine witnesses. Report: hrw.org/news/2026/07/28/bang… @amnestysasia @StateDRL @EURightsAgency #ICTBD @ESandersFCDO @BonaveroIHR @UNHumanRights @SRjudgeslawyers @IBAHRI @S_Asian_Rights @OHCHRAsia

Haridas Chandra, a #Hindu community leader, was arrested on 12 June by #Bangladesh's Criminal Investigation Dept (CID) under the Money Laundering Prevention Act. The following day, a #Dhaka court remanded him to four days of police custody for interrogation in connection with allegations of currency smuggling and money laundering. According to the authorities, Haridas was arrested in a money laundering case filed by the CID with Uttara West Police Station in Dhaka. However, many observers who have been following the treatment of Hindu community leaders in Bangladesh since August 2024 believe that the prosecution is politically motivated and linked to his role in promoting the construction of what was intended to be Bangladesh's largest statue of Lord #Ram. Haridas came to prominence after initiating the construction of an 81-foot-tall statue of Lord Ram at the Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Kali Temple complex in Palashbari, Gaibandha. The privately funded project, which was reportedly around 80% complete before work was halted, would have become the tallest statue of Lord Ram in Bangladesh. During the remand hearing, Haridas's lawyer argued that the money laundering case lacked evidentiary basis and was instead intended to create communal tension and obstruct legitimate religious activities. The defense maintained that no credible evidence had been presented linking Haridas to any offence. The Ram statue project faced sustained opposition from several local #Islamist groups, including the Imam-Ulema Council, which campaigned aggressively against its construction. Some preachers publicly called for the monument to be demolished, citing religious objections and raising concerns over public order. Opponents also circulated claims on social media alleging that the proposed monument encroached upon historical Islamic sites, further intensifying local tensions. Amid growing security concerns and the risk of communal unrest, the temple committee announced a temporary suspension of construction. The decision sparked widespread concern among members of Bangladesh's Hindu minority, many of whom viewed the suspension as the result of pressure from hardline Islamist groups rather than a voluntary decision. Minority rights organizations, including the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council (BHCUC), condemned the campaign against the project and organized demonstrations calling for greater protection of religious freedom and minority places of worship. Against this backdrop, many within Bangladesh's Hindu community believe that Haridas's arrest represents retaliation from the #BNP Govt for his involvement in the Ram statue project. They argue that the case reflects a broader pattern of pressure on Hindu religious and community leaders since the political upheaval of August 2024. Critics have pointed to several cases involving prominent Hindu community leaders who were implicated in criminal proceedings following the July–August 2024 protests. They contend that these charges, filed surrounding the violent events of July-August 2024, were politically motivated and targeted Hindu leaders, including leaders of he BHBCUC, were retaliation for them speaking out against minority repression following the fall of the Awami League Govt. Another frequently cited example is Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu religious leader and former ISKCON monk, who has remained in detention for close to 600 days while facing multiple criminal cases. His supporters argue that his vocal stance against anti-minority violence is what landed him in jail. .... @FOREF_EU @paulocasaca1 @CJBdingo25 @zoro8 @Tkbaul @MinoritiesSouth @_PriyaSaha @HinduHate @INSIGHTUK2 @HinduVoice_in @UtsavSanduja @austhindu @canada_hindu @HinduAmerican @RadharamnDas @USCIRF @UN_HRC @NazilaGhanea @nadinemaenza @StateIRF @Chellaney

Accountability as Instrument: The Death Sentence Against #SheikhHasina and the Weaponisation of #Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal - Arafat Hosen Khan writes in @opiniojuris. On 16 November 2025, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity arising from the July–August 2024 uprising. The violence was real, and the demand for accountability is both understandable and necessary. Yet the verdict is better understood as an instance of what scholars of democratic backsliding have called ‘autocratic legalism‘ — the weaponisation of formally legitimate legal institutions to achieve outcomes that law, fairly applied, would prohibit. What makes this case important is that a real institution, one with a statutory foundation dating to 1973, was systematically hollowed out and deployed as an instrument of political retribution, rather than functioning as a neutral court of accountability. The verdict is dangerous because it wears the veneer of institutional legitimacy, and it is internationally significant because that veneer conceals a cumulative pattern of legal manipulation. Read more: opiniojuris.org/2026/07/13/a… About the Author: Arafat Hosen Khan is a Visiting Senior Fellow at @LSELaw School, a qualified English Barrister, an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, and author of The Constitution of Bangladesh: People, Politics, and Judicial Intervention (Routledge, 2022). … #BangladeshCrisis #Justice #Accountability @amnestysasia @hrw @justiceinfonet @ESandersFCDO @StateDept_GCJ @StateDRL @EURightsAgency @TheDavidBergman @kingsleynapley @DoughtyStIntl @HelenaKennedyKC @sarahsackman @BobBlackman @IBAHRI @JusticeMakersBF