In Bangladesh, the interim government led by Nobel laureate economist Dr. Muhammad Yunus has pledged a comprehensive reform of the country’s security sector. However, the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concern over the joint security and military operation named “Operation Devil Hunt,” which has already led to the arrest of nearly two thousand people. In a statement released on Thursday (February 13), HRW called for impartiality in addressing political violence and ensuring the rule of law.
Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW’s Deputy Director for the Asia region, stated that prolonged repression had pushed Bangladesh into extreme political polarization. However, the current authorities must ensure they do not repeat the same mistakes. She emphasized that the government should urgently focus on political reforms and economic governance in line with United Nations recommendations.
A recently published UN report claimed that, under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, law enforcement agencies—including the police, border guards, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and intelligence units—committed severe human rights violations in the name of suppressing the last wave of protests.
It is worth noting that, amid widespread public outrage, Sheikh Hasina fled the country and took refuge in India on August 5. On February 5, a group demolished the historic residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi 32, a site deeply connected to the Liberation War. Simultaneously, houses belonging to many individuals associated with the Awami League were indiscriminately set on fire across the country.
Following these incidents, an attack on the residence of a former minister in Gazipur led to clashes with locals, leaving several people seriously injured. In response, the interim government launched “Operation Devil Hunt,” labeling individuals connected to the former government as “devils.”
Expressing concern over the mass arrests, HRW stated that the interim government must not deny former government supporters their fundamental rights to assembly, protest, and expression. These are core human rights protected under international law.
Ganguly further stressed that those responsible for the past government’s wrongdoings should be held accountable, but through a legal and just process. Mob violence cannot be a solution. She warned that when authorities publicly label opponents as “devils,” it indirectly legitimizes vigilante actions, leading to further unrest.