Human Rights Watch has called on the Bangladesh government to end the "indefinite" and "arbitrary" pretrial detention of politicians and others linked to the ousted Awami League government.
The New York-based rights group said hundreds of people remain in prison without charge after thousands of Awami League officials, activists and supporters were detained after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024.
In a statement issued on Monday, HRW said some detainees may face credible allegations over serious abuses committed under the previous government, but others had been arrested without apparent evidence, including in cases alleging the murder of protesters.
It also raised concerns over bail, medical treatment and repeated new cases being filed against detainees after courts granted them release.
“Under one government after another, hundreds of opposition members have been locked up without evidence or due process,” said Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director.
“The government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged reform, and as a first step he should end the prolonged arbitrary detention of political opponents.”
HRW said at least 10 Awami League office-holders had died in prison since Tarique took office in February 2026, most of them without having been charged with a crime.
The organisation called for independent investigations into all deaths in custody.
Concerns Over Repeated Cases
HRW highlighted the case of former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque, 82, who was arrested in July 2025 in connection with the alleged murder of a protester.
According to the rights group, Khairul was subsequently arrested in several more cases, including corruption allegations, while lower courts repeatedly denied him bail.
His family told HRW that he suffered from serious health problems and had a heart attack while in prison.
The High Court granted him bail in a series of cases, but HRW said police repeatedly brought fresh charges that prevented his release.
In one instance, police filed another murder case alleging that Khairul had been at the scene of a killing at the same time he was accused of being at another murder scene more than 10 kilometres away, the organisation said.
He was eventually released on Aug 19 after intervention by the Appellate Division.
HRW said he had not been formally charged with any offence throughout the period.
The group said lawyers representing other detainees had told it they sometimes advised clients against seeking bail because new cases could simply be filed if bail was granted.
ICT Detentions Criticised
The organisation also raised concerns over prolonged detention at Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal.
It said tribunal rules allow detention without charge beyond one year only in “exceptional circumstances” that must be set out in writing.
According to HRW, none of the more than 160 people detained by the tribunal has been released on bail, while defendants have no right to appeal bail refusals.
The group cited former Hasina advisor Tawfiq-e Elahi Chowdhury, 81, who it said has been detained for 22 months without charge.
HRW said his bail application was not granted and that the tribunal did not set out any exceptional circumstances justifying his continued detention.
Former MP Kamal Ahmed Majumder, 75, has also been detained for 22 months, according to the statement.
His family told HRW that he developed gangrene in prison, had three toes amputated and later broke his hip in a fall. His bail application was rejected in July.
Health Concerns in Custody
HRW said families of several detainees had complained of inadequate medical care.
It cited Shahriar Kabir, 75, who requires a wheelchair and suffers from chronic illnesses, and RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, 71, who it said has serious heart problems and has been detained for 22 months without charge.
The statement also referred to former Awami League MP Ramesh Chandra Sen, 85, who died in custody on Feb 7 after being detained since August 2024.
His family alleged that he had been denied proper medication and bail.
HRW also raised concerns over the death of Jamalpur Awami League member SM Ziaul Haque Zia, 65, who died on Apr 14 after being detained in January.
Call for Reform
The rights group criticised a proposed National Human Rights Commission bill, saying the draft would prevent the commission from investigating allegations of arbitrary arrest.
It argued that pretrial detention should be used only as an exceptional measure and that every detainee should have the legality and necessity of their detention reviewed individually.
HRW said those held before trial are entitled to a speedy trial or release, while any restrictions must be consistent with the right to liberty, the presumption of innocence and equality before the law.
“A justice system that lets older people die in custody before they are ever charged is not treating pretrial detention as the exceptional measure it always should be,” Pearson said.
“The Bangladeshi government should order independent inquiries into all prison deaths under its watch and stop arbitrarily detaining people for prolonged periods without charge.”
