Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Saturday said freedom of expression belongs to everyone except the government, underscoring the need for tolerance, accountability, and long-term reform as Bangladesh heads toward the next national election.
He made the remarks at a policy dialogue titled “Political Parties, Human Rights, and Freedom of Expression,” organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka.
CGS President Zillur Rahman moderated the program.
The dialogue brought together political leaders, civil society representatives, academics, lawyers, journalists, and human rights activists to review the state of human rights and freedom of expression in political discourse ahead of the polls.
Speaking as the chief guest Asif said the interim government had already undertaken significant reforms, including shifting key judicial matters to higher courts, enacting what he described as one of South Asia’s strongest human rights laws, and expanding legal aid services, which he said now reach ten times more people than before.
He claimed the Digital Security Act had improved by 90%, with more than 20,000 cases resolved. Referring to cyberbullying he faced following last July’s uprising, he said meaningful reform requires time and urged political parties and the media to engage in self-reflection.
“Honesty, conscience, tolerance, and accountability are essential if the country is to move forward over the next five to ten years,” he said.
CGS President Zillur Rahman warned that human rights and freedom of expression tend to shrink as elections approach. He said laws are often weaponized for political purposes, while violence, threats, and harassment become increasingly difficult to control.
Questioning whether the rule of law truly exists in Bangladesh, he cited prolonged court proceedings and what he described as fragile media freedom. Referring to attacks on media outlets such as Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, he said the incidents reflected serious failures of law enforcement.
Zillur said fear of enforced disappearance silenced dissent during the previous Awami League period, while the current situation has seen the rise of mob culture. He also criticized the lack of a healthy electoral culture over the past 54 years, the dismissal of journalists, changes in media ownership, and the misuse of intelligence agencies.
Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said human rights are universal and not relative, adding that political parties continue to rely on money, power, and religion while the state enables the rise of mob power.
He urged political parties to engage in genuine self-reflection, include Indigenous peoples’ rights in their election manifestos, and uphold the country’s founding principles. He also called for the enactment and implementation of an anti-discrimination law after the election and sought clarity from parties on issues that may require referendums.
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust Executive Director Barrister Sara Hossain said that despite amendments to Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, its application remains flawed. Rejecting claims that courts had indiscriminately granted bail in the past, she questioned why journalists now hesitate to report on enforced disappearances and killings.
“The fear of being targeted is real,” she said, warning against the absence of genuine consensus-building and the tendency to label certain communities as “minorities” while ignoring unequal access to rights. She also said mob violence disproportionately affects specific groups.
Sara Hossain called for open debate on colonial-era laws, including blasphemy, anti-terrorism, and defamation statutes, and emphasized the need for inclusion and public awareness.
Nasreen Sultana Mily, joint general secretary of the AB Party, Advocate Md Golam Mostafa, Senior journalist Abu Sayeed Khan spoke at the program, among others.
