Staff Reporter :
Human Rights Watch [HRW] has said the Bangladesh government clamped down on media and civil society, and state authorities detained, maimed, killed and disappeared members of the political opposition.
The New York-base HRW made the observations in its World Report 2017 released on Thursday reviewing the remarkable events from last year in Bangladesh along with 90 other countries across the world.
Particularly, the portion of the report titled: “Bangladesh: Disappearances, Clampdown on Critics, Action on Extremist Violence Needs to Respect Rights,” categorically mentioned human rights violation by different government agencies.
It said: “Bangladesh authorities have failed to protect bloggers, secularists, academics, gay rights activists, and religious minorities from violent – often fatal – attacks by militant groups…. The government finally launched a drive in May last year to find the perpetrators of the killings of bloggers, secularists, academics, and LGBT activists. However, instead of identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators of the killings, the authorities rounded up nearly 15,000 people over eight days in June.”
Asia Director at HRW Brad Adams said: “Bangladeshi security forces have a long history of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Justice for these abusive practices is non-existent… The government’s crackdown on civil society, the media, and political opposition intensified in 2016.”
He further said: “It is important that the Bangladeshi government act to protect its citizens from what has obviously been a growing security problem in the country, but it needs to do so in a rights-respecting manner.”
Meanwhile, mentioning the militant attacks on Holey Artisan bakery in Gulshan and Sholakia Eid congregation in July last year, the report said: “Although Islamist extremist groups, including the Islamic State or ISIS, claimed responsibility for most of these killings, the government blamed domestic groups, and said some had links to the main opposition political parties.”
“Two of the hostages in the attack were secretly arrested and detained for over a month until international and national pressure forced the government to admit to holding them in detention. A kitchen assistant, initially suspected to be one of the attackers, was allegedly tortured to death,” it said.
Raising doubts over the raids carried out in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and other areas to nab the militants, the HRW said: “The details of those killed or arrested remain unclear due to lack of transparency about security force abuses and the ongoing government clampdown on media.”
Against this backdrop, Brad Adams said: “The government’s campaign to shut down dissent, whether through protests, the media, or nongovernmental organisations, has had a devastating impact across civil society and the political opposition.”
In the report, the HRW states that thousands of people were arrested, and dozens of alleged members or supporters of extremist groups were said to have been killed in armed encounters.
Police conducted a crackdown on criminals and militants throughout June last year, and, according to reports, around four dozen people linked to local militant groups linked to IS and al-Qaeda, were killed in raids and ‘gunfights’.
According to HRW, the government’s crackdown on civil society, the media, and political opposition intensified in 2016 while the human rights groups faced constant obstacles, including escalating harassment and surveillance by police.
“A new law placed strong restrictions on receiving foreign funds without approval by the NGO Affairs Bureau within the Prime Minister’s Office,” it said.
Describing the harassment of journalists, the report said: “The editor of The Daily Star, Mahfuz Anam, faces a total of 54 criminal defamation cases and 15 sedition cases.
Besides, 55 cases have been filed against the daily Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and some of its journalists for criminal defamation and “hurting religious sentiment.”
Human Rights Watch [HRW] has said the Bangladesh government clamped down on media and civil society, and state authorities detained, maimed, killed and disappeared members of the political opposition.
The New York-base HRW made the observations in its World Report 2017 released on Thursday reviewing the remarkable events from last year in Bangladesh along with 90 other countries across the world.
Particularly, the portion of the report titled: “Bangladesh: Disappearances, Clampdown on Critics, Action on Extremist Violence Needs to Respect Rights,” categorically mentioned human rights violation by different government agencies.
It said: “Bangladesh authorities have failed to protect bloggers, secularists, academics, gay rights activists, and religious minorities from violent – often fatal – attacks by militant groups…. The government finally launched a drive in May last year to find the perpetrators of the killings of bloggers, secularists, academics, and LGBT activists. However, instead of identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators of the killings, the authorities rounded up nearly 15,000 people over eight days in June.”
Asia Director at HRW Brad Adams said: “Bangladeshi security forces have a long history of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Justice for these abusive practices is non-existent… The government’s crackdown on civil society, the media, and political opposition intensified in 2016.”
He further said: “It is important that the Bangladeshi government act to protect its citizens from what has obviously been a growing security problem in the country, but it needs to do so in a rights-respecting manner.”
Meanwhile, mentioning the militant attacks on Holey Artisan bakery in Gulshan and Sholakia Eid congregation in July last year, the report said: “Although Islamist extremist groups, including the Islamic State or ISIS, claimed responsibility for most of these killings, the government blamed domestic groups, and said some had links to the main opposition political parties.”
“Two of the hostages in the attack were secretly arrested and detained for over a month until international and national pressure forced the government to admit to holding them in detention. A kitchen assistant, initially suspected to be one of the attackers, was allegedly tortured to death,” it said.
Raising doubts over the raids carried out in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and other areas to nab the militants, the HRW said: “The details of those killed or arrested remain unclear due to lack of transparency about security force abuses and the ongoing government clampdown on media.”
Against this backdrop, Brad Adams said: “The government’s campaign to shut down dissent, whether through protests, the media, or nongovernmental organisations, has had a devastating impact across civil society and the political opposition.”
In the report, the HRW states that thousands of people were arrested, and dozens of alleged members or supporters of extremist groups were said to have been killed in armed encounters.
Police conducted a crackdown on criminals and militants throughout June last year, and, according to reports, around four dozen people linked to local militant groups linked to IS and al-Qaeda, were killed in raids and ‘gunfights’.
According to HRW, the government’s crackdown on civil society, the media, and political opposition intensified in 2016 while the human rights groups faced constant obstacles, including escalating harassment and surveillance by police.
“A new law placed strong restrictions on receiving foreign funds without approval by the NGO Affairs Bureau within the Prime Minister’s Office,” it said.
Describing the harassment of journalists, the report said: “The editor of The Daily Star, Mahfuz Anam, faces a total of 54 criminal defamation cases and 15 sedition cases.
Besides, 55 cases have been filed against the daily Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and some of its journalists for criminal defamation and “hurting religious sentiment.”
