Human Rights Watch says that the interim government should bring a consensus resolution at the Human Rights Council session in March to ensure continued UN monitoring and reporting to support the reform process, and donor governments should emphasise core structural reforms.

Human Rights Watch has emphasised the urgency of systemic reforms to ensure lasting stability and justice, releasing a 50-page report, “After the Monsoon Revolution: A Roadmap to Lasting Security Sector Reform in Bangladesh.” The report, released on Monday, calls for core structural changes across institutions and highlights the critical role of international support in sustaining progress.

‘Monsoon Revolution’ urges the interim government to establish legal detention practices and repeal laws used to target critics. Reforms should be centred on separation of powers and ensuring political neutrality across institutions, including the civil service, police, military, and the judiciary. The government should seek technical assistance, monitoring, and reporting by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN rights experts to ensure lasting reforms.

“Nearly 1,000 Bangladeshis lost their lives fighting for democracy, ushering in a landmark opportunity to build a rights-respecting future in Bangladesh,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “This hard-won progress could all be lost if the interim government does not create swift and structural reforms that can withstand any repression by future governments.”

Pearson said that the recommendations are based on over 20 years of Human Rights Watch research and documentation in Bangladesh as well as recent interviews with human rights activists, members of the interim government, and current and former law enforcement and military officials.

The Revolution and its Aftermath

The departure of Sheikh Hasina’s administration marked the end of a 15-year era defined by increasing autocracy. Over the years, Hasina’s Awami League government had been accused of deploying security forces to suppress dissent through enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, surveillance, and torture. Institutions meant to provide checks and balances, including the judiciary and national human rights commission, were systematically weakened.

One former police officer revealed to Human Rights Watch that loyalty to the ruling party often overshadowed merit, leading to a deeply politicised and biased police force. “The police became increasingly like party cadres,” the officer said, reflecting on years of unchecked abuses.

The transition of power was catalysed by the deaths of nearly 1,000 people in protests against the Hasina government. This movement, referred to as the “Monsoon Revolution,” has ushered in a fragile yet hopeful era. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate and former critic of the Awami League, was appointed head of the interim government by student activists. Yunus has pledged to hold free and fair elections while implementing essential reforms.

Addressing Past Abuses

Human Rights Watch’s report provides a comprehensive roadmap for reform, urging the interim government to:

• Establish legal and transparent detention practices.
• Repeal laws used to target critics and opposition voices.
• Ensure political neutrality across institutions such as the judiciary, police, and military.
• Seek technical assistance and monitoring from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to implement reforms effectively.

“Nearly 1,000 Bangladeshis lost their lives fighting for democracy, ushering in a landmark opportunity to build a rights-respecting future,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. “This hard-won progress could all be lost without swift and structural reforms that can withstand repression by future governments.”

The interim government has already made strides by dropping politically motivated cases filed by the previous administration and ordering an end to extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. A commission led by Yunus is slated to implement recommendations from six task forces focusing on electoral, judicial, administrative, and constitutional reforms.

However, challenges persist. Human Rights Watch has documented a troubling resurgence of abuses by security forces, now targeting former Awami League supporters. Over 1,000 police cases have been filed against tens of thousands of individuals, including over 400 former Awami League ministers and leaders, accused of crimes ranging from corruption to murder. Mass complaints without sufficient evidence risk undermining the credibility of justice.

Family members of victims from the Monsoon Revolution have reported coercion to sign vague police reports, often with the promise of financial compensation. Human Rights Watch has urged the government to prohibit cases against unnamed individuals and mass arrest warrants, revising overly broad laws that target critics.

Accountability for Enforced Disappearances

One of the most damning legacies of the Hasina administration is the practice of enforced disappearances. A December 2024 report by the national commission investigating disappearances estimates that over 3,500 individuals were forcibly disappeared under Hasina’s rule. Senior officials, including Major Generals Tarique Ahmed Siddique and Ziaul Ahsan, were implicated in overseeing these abuses.

Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, a lawyer who was held in secret detention for eight years, described his harrowing experience: “The facility was meticulously designed to give detainees a worse-than-death experience.” He recounted hearing the screams of others being tortured, a chilling reminder of the systematic and institutionalised nature of these practices.

The commission has recommended the disbandment of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), a counterterrorism unit implicated in numerous extrajudicial killings and disappearances. In response, RAB’s chief acknowledged the unit’s secret detention centers and expressed willingness to comply if the interim government decides to disband the unit.

Freedom of Speech; Minority Rights

Despite Yunus’ assurances of respecting free speech, concerns remain about the interim government’s treatment of journalists. Authorities have filed murder charges against at least 140 journalists for their reporting on the Monsoon Revolution and revoked over 150 press accreditations. Sedition charges have also been filed against 19 individuals for allegedly desecrating the national flag.

Minority communities, particularly Hindus, continue to face violent attacks. The police’s failure to protect these communities underscores the need for robust reforms to ensure accountability and equal protection under the law. Additionally, a new ordinance to replace the abusive Cyber Security Act replicates many of its harmful provisions, further stifling freedom of expression.

International Support and Oversight

To ensure the longevity of these reforms, Human Rights Watch has called for international oversight. The interim government is urged to introduce a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council’s March 2025 session, mandating regular monitoring and reporting on Bangladesh’s human rights situation by the OHCHR. Donor governments should invest in training and reforming Bangladesh’s security sector, but only alongside meaningful structural changes.

Bangladesh’s accession to the UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances is a significant step forward. Ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and inviting UN subcommittees to make recommendations would further demonstrate the government’s commitment to reform.

Survivors’ Stories

The experiences of survivors like Amir Hussain and Iman Hossain Tayem highlight the brutal tactics used by security forces during the Monsoon Revolution. Hussain, an 18-year-old protester, was shot six times while attempting to escape police violence. Tayem, a college student, was fatally shot from behind as he tried to flee. Such accounts underscore the need for accountability and strict adherence to international standards on the use of force.

Survivors of enforced disappearances have also come forward with harrowing testimonies. Michael Chakma, an Indigenous rights activist, described being tortured and threatened with indefinite detention. “We can keep you here for 30 years, and nobody will ever find you,” his captors told him. These stories serve as stark reminders of the systemic abuses that must be addressed to build a just and democratic Bangladesh.

Building a Sustainable Future

Bangladesh’s divisive political history has often seeped into law enforcement and governance. Establishing independent civilian oversight of security forces and enforcing international standards on the use of force are crucial steps toward restoring public trust. The national human rights commission should be empowered to carry out unannounced inspections of detention facilities and hold violators accountable.

“Bangladesh’s interim government has the monumental task of undoing 15 years of increasingly entrenched autocracy,” Pearson said. “The interim government should enlist UN support to cement structural reforms so that the abuses of the past do not become a blueprint for Bangladesh’s future.”

As the world watches, Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. The actions taken by the interim government in the coming months will determine whether the sacrifices of the Monsoon Revolution pave the way for a brighter future or become a fleeting moment in the nation’s turbulent history. Only through meaningful and sustained reforms can Bangladesh ensure justice, accountability, and democracy for generations to come.

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