Repression, abuses discredit election: HRW
Human Rights Watch in a statement yesterday said the Bangladesh authorities suppressed dissent including by arresting people for criticising the government in social media posts, and undermined pledges of a free and fair vote with widespread repression and violence against opposition members before the national polls.
The HRW in its World Report 2024 said the government of Sheikh Hasina returned to office for a fourth consecutive term after the January 7 elections which were boycotted by the main opposition parties because they had no faith in a free and fair polling process.
"Bangladesh's key trade partners should insist upon an independent inquiry into security force abuses as a condition of their continued business," said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at the HRW.
"The lack of accountability for serious rights violations is fomenting a corrupt culture where Bangladeshis fear being killed or disappeared by law enforcers for their political views, or even because they fail to pay a bribe."
In the 740-page World Report 2024, its 34th edition, the HRW reviews human rights practices in more than 100 countries.
The Awami League-led government of Prime Minister Hasina arrested over 8,000 leaders and supporters of the opposition BNP ahead of the elections, in an overt attempt to incapacitate the competition and disqualify opposition leaders from participating, the HRW said, adding that many were allegedly "disappeared" when police arrested and kept them in unlawful detention for days or weeks before eventually producing them in court.
Citing Bangladeshi human rights monitors, the HRW said more than 600 enforced disappearances have occurred since 2009, and nearly 100 people remain missing.
Human rights monitors have also noted a disturbing rise in allegations of torture in custody, it said, adding that enforced disappearances reduced significantly after the US government placed the Rapid Action Battalion under sanctions.
The statement also criticised the government for sentencing Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan of the Dhaka-based rights group Odhikar.
It said that journalists faced increasing attacks for exercising their right to free expression and dozens were injured in pre-election protests raising concerns that the Cyber Security Act 2023, introduced in September 2023 to replace the 2018 Digital Security Act, maintains the same abusive elements.