- Positive steps taken by interim government to investigate protest violations and address enforced disappearances
- Lack of reforms related to NGO laws and protection for human rights defenders and journalists
- New cyber law ordinance still problematic and restrictive defamation provisions remain
- Police reforms stalled, controversial Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) remains untouched despite UN calls for disbandment
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, welcomes the positive steps taken by the interim government to respect and protect civic space since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime a year ago. However, more must be done to protect civil society and journalists, strengthen accountability mechanisms and to halt its targeting of the opposition ahead of elections in February 2026.
Some actions, highlighted in a brief published today by the CIVICUS Monitor, are inconsistent with its human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which it ratified in 2000. The ICCPR imposes obligations to respect and protect civic freedoms, including freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly. These rights are also enshrined in Bangladesh’s constitution.
Since the interim government took power in August 2024, it has taken positive steps to release protesters detained and end the prosecution of human rights defenders. It also facilitated an investigation by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) into a range of serious human rights violations during the 2024 mass protests – where as many as 1,400 people were killed - between 15 July and 5 August 2024. Bangladesh also signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances and announced the formation of a Commission of Inquiry on all cases of enforced disappearances under Hasina. The state of civic space in Bangladesh was upgraded to ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor in December 2024, due to these reforms.
However, the CIVICUS Monitor has continued to document the harassment of activists, the criminalisation and restrictions on journalists and a lack of progress in reforming the NGO Affairs Bureau - which has been used in the past to monitor and harass critical civil society organisations - or to revise the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act 2016, used to control CSOs and restrict international funding.
“Over the last one year, the interim government has taken positive steps to reverse the regression of civic space that occurred under the Sheikh Hasina regime. Nevertheless, more must be done to reform laws and policies to ensure an enabling environment for civil society and to establish an effective mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders. Failure to do so will put activists and civil society at risk, as elections draw near”, said Josef Benedict, Asia Pacific researcher at CIVICUS.
CIVICUS is also alarmed about the Cyber Protection Ordinance that replaced a previous draconian cyber law that falls short of international human rights standards and that other criminal defamation provisions in the Penal Code remain. Further, there seems to be a push back to repeal outdated laws and establish an independent police accountability body as recommended by the Police Reform Commission.
The interim government has also banned all activities by the opposition Awami League under the Anti-Terrorism Act and targeted their supporters.
“The authorities must revise or repeal all laws to ensure they comply with the government’s commitment to guarantee freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly under the ICCPR. It must also take bold steps to ensure police accountability and disband the notorious Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) as recommended by the UN. The interim government must also halt all forms of intimidation, harassment, or unjustified restrictions against the opposition in the lead up to the general election,” added Benedict.
About the CIVICUS Monitor
Over twenty organisations collaborate on the CIVICUS Monitor to provide an evidence base for action to improve civic space on all continents. Civic freedoms in 198 countries and territories are categorised as either open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed or closed, based on a methodology that combines several data sources on the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression.
Civic space in Bangladesh is rated repressed by the CIVICUS Monitor.