Bangladesh’s interim government, established in August 2024 following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, faces mounting pressure to fortify human rights protections. This call for action comes on the heels of Human Rights Watch’s recent statement highlighting the government’s shortcomings one year after taking power.
The administration, led by Mohammed Yunus, initially took steps to improve the human rights landscape. However, persisting issues such as impunity and arbitrary detentions have marred its efforts. The statement underscores that the interim government must address these inadequacies. HRW’s Deputy Asia Director, Meenakshi Ganguly, expressed concern over the government’s tussles with an unreformed security sector and politically motivated acts of vengeance.
Despite the cessation of abuses typical of the previous regime, the current government grapples with politically charged detentions. Hundreds of former state officials linked to the Awami League, Hasina’s political party, have been detained under dubious circumstances. Claims of these arrests being baseless, along with reports of medical care and bail denials, add to the controversy.
Violence remains a pressing issue, as evidenced by violent clashes in July between security forces and supporters of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, resulting in five fatalities. Journalists, too, face significant threats, with Reporters Without Borders condemning escalating attacks that infringe on media freedoms.
Furthermore, the interim government has drawn criticism for its failure to fully investigate enforced disappearances from Hasina’s tenure, despite Bangladesh’s ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Although efforts to collect evidence have been made, these have been reportedly stymied by members of the security forces.
With international bodies like the United Nations expressing concern over possible crimes against humanity during protests against Hasina’s administration, the interim government remains under international scrutiny. HRW has urged foreign governments and the UN to assist Bangladesh in this transitional phase while advising the interim administration to halt arbitrary arrests and ensure accountability for severe crimes.
The interim government is also tasked with implementing necessary reforms to facilitate elections set for June 2026. Nonetheless, human rights organizations continue to call for prioritizing judicial and security sector reforms to align the state with the democratic aspirations of its citizens.