The interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus has come under intense criticism over a nationwide arrest drive carried out under the banner of “Operation Devil Hunt.” The campaign, officially justified as a measure to ensure public safety, has been accused of enabling indiscriminate mass arrests and spreading fear among the population.
According to official accounts, at least 8,597 people were arrested across the country in the last 24 hours, a figure observers describe as unprecedented in Bangladesh’s law-and-order history. Human rights activists and analysts argue that the scale of the crackdown suggests a sweeping dragnet rather than targeted action based on credible intelligence.
Allegations have emerged that, in many cases, detainees were arrested without specific charges or arrest warrants. Critics say an unofficial policy appears to have been adopted that allows law enforcement agencies to detain individuals on sight under the vague pretext of maintaining order—an approach some have described as “state-sponsored intimidation.”
Legal experts warn that detaining thousands overnight without transparency or due process constitutes a grave violation of human rights. Such actions, they argue, undermine fundamental legal safeguards, including the right to due process, protection against arbitrary detention, and the presumption of innocence.
Opponents of the operation contend that “Operation Devil Hunt” has moved beyond crime control, evolving instead into a tool for suppressing dissent and governing through fear. Describing the campaign as a case of authoritarian overreach, critics have called for an immediate halt to the mass arrests and urged the government to restore adherence to constitutional and legal norms.
