International human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Bangladesh’s interim government to end arbitrary arrests and retaliatory violence. The organization warned that failure to do so could hinder some of the significant reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.
These observations were made in a 50-page report by HRW on the state of human rights in Bangladesh following the July uprising. The organization stated that law enforcement agencies have reverted to their previous oppressive practices, which could lead to a crisis for the country.
According to HRW, police in Bangladesh are once again filing criminal cases against unidentified individuals without proper verification. This gives the police unrestricted power to harass anyone in any situation.
Additionally, HRW strongly urged the interim government to disband the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in line with recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. The organization also expressed concern over the new ordinance introduced by the interim government to replace the controversial Cyber Security Act. HRW noted that, unfortunately, the new ordinance retains several harmful provisions from the previous law.