The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has strongly condemned a series of recent trials in Bangladesh, warning that the proceedings “appear to fall short of internationally recognized legal standards” and raise serious concerns over due process and judicial independence.
The criticism follows high-profile verdicts delivered in absentia, including a death sentence for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, as well as a two-year prison sentence for British MP Tulip Siddiq.
In its statement, IBAHRI said defendants were neither properly notified of the charges against them nor permitted legal representation of their choosing. Instead, state-appointed lawyers were assigned, reportedly without communication or consultation with the accused — a move the institute described as a “serious breach of fundamental rights.”
The organisation further expressed alarm over reports that defence lawyers in politically sensitive cases are facing harassment and intimidation, calling it “a misuse of state power” that undermines the independence of the legal profession and erodes confidence in the country’s justice system.
IBAHRI also criticised the use of the death penalty under such circumstances, warning that imposing capital punishment through flawed legal processes amounts to what it described as a “summary execution” and a violation of the right to life.
Calling for immediate action, the institute urged Bangladesh’s authorities to halt all executions, establish a moratorium on the death penalty, and ensure that future proceedings adhere to international fair-trial and due-process standards.
As global scrutiny intensifies, legal experts warn that the controversy surrounding these trials risks deepening political polarization, further damaging judicial credibility, and isolating Bangladesh on the world stage.
