Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately end the prolonged pretrial detention of politicians and others linked to the deposed Awami League government, warning that arbitrary arrests and denial of due process are undermining basic rights.
Police detained thousands of party officials, activists, and supporters after Sheikh Hasina was forced to step down as prime minister in August 2024 following weeks of mass protests.
Hundreds remain in prison without charge, HRW said adding that while some officials may have been complicit in serious abuses under Hasina’s rule, many were arrested without apparent evidence, often accused of murdering protesters.
Families and lawyers allege detainees, many elderly and in poor health, have been denied bail and medical care. At least 10 Awami League office holders have died in custody since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February 2026.
“Under one government after another, hundreds of opposition members have been locked up without evidence or due process,” said Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director.
“The government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged reform, and as a first step he should end the prolonged arbitrary detention of political opponents.”
Instead of pursuing reforms, HRW warned, the government’s proposed National Human Rights Commission bill would bar the commission from investigating alleged arbitrary arrests.
Those detained without charge include former Awami League members of parliament, other lawmakers who supported Hasina’s administration, and activists, officials, and journalists.
Others including members of the security forces face accusations of serious international crimes such as extrajudicial killings, torture, disappearances, and corruption.
Prosecutors have repeatedly sought to block bail even in cases lacking evidence. Lower courts have consistently refused bail, while High Court orders have been circumvented by authorities filing fresh cases.
One example cited by HRW is ABM Khairul Haque, 82, a former chief justice arrested on 24 July 2025, for allegedly murdering a protester. Over the next three months, he was arrested in four additional cases, including corruption charges.
Lower courts denied bail despite his poor health and a heart attack in custody. The High Court granted bail, but police repeatedly filed new cases to prevent his release.
In one instance, police alleged he was present at two separate murder scenes at the same time, though the locations were more than 10 kilometers apart.
The cycle continued, with the High Court granting bail and police filing further charges. Authorities sought to evade a High Court ruling instructing police not to “arrest and harass” Khairul Haque without specific grounds.
He was finally released on 19 August 2026 after intervention by the Appellate Division. Throughout his detention, he was never formally charged with any offense.
HRW said such practices highlight systemic abuse of the justice process and urged the Tarique Rahman government to act swiftly to end arbitrary detentions and uphold its reform pledges.
Lawyers representing detainees told HRW that they now advise clients not to seek bail, as successful applications are routinely followed by police filing new cases to keep them in custody.
The International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court mandated to prosecute international crimes, permits detention without charge beyond one year only in “exceptional circumstances” that must be set out in writing. Yet the tribunal has not granted bail to any of the more than 160 people it has detained, and detainees have no right to appeal bail rejections.
Tawfiq‑e‑Elahi Chowdhury, 81, a former adviser to Sheikh Hasina, is among those were detained. He has now spent 22 months in custody without charge. When he sought bail in April 2026, the tribunal neither granted bail nor cited any “exceptional circumstances.” Instead, it adjourned proceedings twice, most recently until the end of August.
Kamal Ahmed Majumder, 75, a former member of parliament, has also been detained for 22 months. His family told HRW that while in jail he developed gangrene requiring the amputation of three toes and later broke his hip in a fall. The tribunal refused bail in July.
Families of detainees say their relatives are being denied adequate medical care. Activists have called for the release of Shahriar Kabir, 75, who suffers chronic ailments and requires a wheelchair.
RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, 71, has also been held for 22 months without charge despite serious heart problems.
The tribunal’s practices have already led to deaths in custody. Ramesh Chandra Sen, 85, a former Awami League lawmaker arrested in August 2024 on murder and explosives charges, remained in detention until his death on 7 February 2026.
His family said he was denied proper medication and refused bail. Similar concerns surround the death of SM Ziaul Haque Zia, 65, a Jamalpur district Awami League member detained on January 6 despite poor health. He died on 14 April after being denied bail.
International human rights law allows limited use of pretrial detention or conditional release, but such measures must be exceptional, not routine.
Detention should be reviewed individually by a judge or equivalent authority to assess legality and necessity, and detainees are entitled to a speedy trial or release. Any restrictions must respect the right to liberty, the presumption of innocence, and equality before the law.
Pearson said, “A justice system that lets older people die in custody before they are ever charged is not treating pretrial detention as the exceptional measure it always should be.”
“The Bangladeshi government should order independent inquiries into all prison deaths under its watch and stop arbitrarily detaining people for prolonged periods without charge.”
