WorldPosted at: Sep 15 2026 9:48PM


Transparency International Bangladesh disputes claims of “unprecedented levels of human rights protection” under BNP govt

Dhaka, Sep 15 (UNI) Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has disputed claims by Prime Minister’s spokesperson Mahdi Amin that the BNP government has delivered an unprecedented level of human rights protection during its seven months in office.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the organisation’s findings painted a starkly different picture, citing 52 reported cases of harassment linked to freedom of speech, 58 arrests under the Anti-Terrorism Act, seven custodial deaths and at least one alleged case of enforced disappearance involving a state-run security agency.
Iftekharuzzaman and Mahdi Amin were speaking at a discussion on “democracy, human rights and accountable governance” at the MIDAS Centre in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, on Tuesday.
As the chief guest, Mahdi Amin said the government had ensured the highest level of freedom of speech in the past seven months, including tolerance of vulgar remarks.
He said the government had sought to uphold the spirit of the July Uprising through greater tolerance and a willingness to coexist with differing views, and was working towards a more inclusive state machinery and development process by addressing shortcomings in governance.
However, acknowledging limitations, he claimed that there were still remnants of what he called 17 years of so-called “fascist rule” of the former Awami League government, which he said could not be removed all at once.
Nevertheless, he maintained that there had been no human rights violations linked to the running of the state, and claimed the state had not been responsible for any enforced disappearances, murders, extrajudicial killings or custodial deaths, and denied any state-backed attacks on the opinions or ideologies of opposition and dissenting groups.
Challenging the BNP leader’s claims, Iftekharuzzaman said that TIB had received reports of 52 cases involving harassment for exercising the right to freedom of speech. He said 58 people had been detained in those cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
He also pointed to reported custodial deaths and an alleged case of enforced disappearance, noting that the continued trend of human rights abuses by the erstwhile interim government led by former Chief Adviser Md Yunus had continued largely unchanged.
The TIB executive director also criticised the lawmaking process under the BNP-dominated parliament, saying a number of ordinances introduced during the interim government had since been turned into permanent laws without undergoing an inclusive review process.
He also argued that the law enforcement system remained concentrated in the hands of one or a few individuals, while people accused of human rights violations continued to have influence over mechanisms responsible for prosecuting such offences.
Iftekharuzzaman described the continuation of this system as undemocratic and unwarranted, alleging that little had changed since the uprising that removed the Awami League government.
Mahdi Amin responded that lawmaking was an ongoing process and that existing legislation could still be amended. He said discussions were continuing with relevant stakeholders to improve the laws and bring people with differing views into the process.
He also argued that a complete transformation could not happen overnight, saying there was no precedent anywhere in the world for achieving “100%” change at once.
Officials, he said, were continuing consultations with stakeholders from different backgrounds and would make amendments where necessary.
UNI ANV CDS
Tags: #Transparency International Bangladesh disputes claims of “unprecedented levels of human rights protection” under BNP govt
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