The United States has strongly condemned the ongoing human rights violations in Bangladesh, highlighting a troubling lack of progress in addressing these issues. The country expressed deep concern over the obstruction of the freedom of movement and the inability of citizens to peacefully change their government through fair elections. Reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and cruel treatment by government authorities underscored the pervasive disregard for basic human rights.

Instances of impunity for such abuses further exacerbate the situation, with little accountability for officials or security forces implicated in human rights violations. Moreover, severe restrictions on political participation, rampant government corruption, and harassment of both domestic and international human rights organizations continue to stifle dissent and perpetuate a culture of fear.

The report also outlined widespread gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and forced marriages, along with targeted violence against ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ individuals. Despite international outcry and pressure, the government has failed to address these systemic issues effectively.

In light of these grave concerns, the United States calls on the government of Bangladesh to take immediate and meaningful steps to uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens, including ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights abuses and fostering an environment conducive to free expression and political participation.

The US State Department based these observations on the events that occurred in Bangladesh in 2023 for its annual human rights report.

The report stated that 'former prime minister and chairperson of the lead opposition political party BNP Khaleda Zia remained confined to her home. She was barred from receiving needed medical treatment abroad but was being treated in a Bangladeshi hospital. In 2018, she was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on corruption and embezzlement charges first filed in 2008. Zia was transferred from prison to a hospital in 2019 and released to house arrest in 2020. International and domestic legal experts noted the lack of evidence to support the conviction and suggested a political ploy to remove the leader of the opposition from the electoral process, even as multiple corruption charges against Prime Minister Hasina were dropped by prosecutors.'

The reports also comment on the state of freedom of expression stating, 'The constitution provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, but the government frequently contravened this right. There were significant limitations on freedom of expression. Members of media and bloggers self-censored their criticisms of the government due to harassment and fear of reprisal.'

The report also underscored the prevalence of corruption and irregularities within the government, along with harassment within the justice system, arbitrary arrests, and various forms of oppression. Notably, the United States issues an annual report assessing the human rights situation in countries worldwide. As part of this endeavour, the report concerning Bangladesh was published last night according to Bangladesh Time.

The reports on Bangladesh also highlight severe restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including instances of violence or threats against journalists, unjust arrests or prosecutions of media personnel, and censorship. It stated, 'The government maintained editorial control over the country’s public television station and allegedly mandated private channels broadcast government content for free. Civil society organizations stated political interference influenced the licensing process since all television channel licenses granted by the government were for stations supporting the ruling party.'

Additionally, there are significant limitations on internet freedom, along with substantial interference with peaceful assembly. Restrictive laws targeting the organization, funding, and operation of non-governmental and civil society organizations contribute to the suppression of free expression and assembly. Moreover, restrictions on free movement further impede the exercise of basic rights.

The reports also emphasize widespread impunity for human rights violations and torture in Bangladesh. In many cases, the government fails to take credible steps to identify or punish officials or security forces accused of such abuses, perpetuating a culture of impunity and undermining accountability mechanisms.

The reports also stated that 'The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal, established in 2010 to conduct trials of those accused of war crimes and atrocities that took place during the 1971 War of Independence, continued to issue sentences, including the death penalty, to those accused of crimes during the war. Many observers viewed the proceedings as politically motivated, as the court had almost exclusively indicted members of opposition political parties.'

The report on extrajudicial killings, encompassing both arbitrary and extrajudicial executions, reveals a concerning pattern where allegations against the police are investigated internally by the police themselves. Instances have arisen where individuals were injured or killed due to physical beatings inflicted by security forces. Alarmingly, the government has not disclosed the total number of fatalities resulting from encounters with security forces, nor has it conducted transparent investigations into these incidents. Human rights organizations have voiced scepticism regarding the independence and professional standards of those tasked with conducting such investigations.

The report further stated, 'Law enforcement raids occurred throughout the year, allegedly to counter terrorist activity, drugs, and illegal firearms. Suspicious deaths occurred during some raids, arrests, and other law enforcement operations.'

It noted that 'Extrajudicial killings decreased from the previous year. Domestic human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reported eight individuals died from January to September in alleged extrajudicial killings or while in custody, including two in shootouts with law enforcement agencies and three due to physical torture before or while in custody. According to another domestic human rights organization, of 12 incidents of alleged extrajudicial killings between January and September, four deaths resulted from law enforcement crossfire killings, four persons were shot to death by law enforcement officers, and four others died from alleged torture while in custody.

On March 26, Sultana Jasmine died in the custody of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) due to brain bleeding. RAB officials said she suffered a stroke and fell while detained. Family members called the story a cover-up and pointed to evidence of a head injury. The commanding officer of the RAB unit involved told the media they picked up Jasmine pursuant to a financial fraud complaint. The case filed against Jasmine under the Digital Security Act (DSA) “for siphoning money off from job seekers using her Facebook account,” however, was not recorded until the day after she was picked up. Following widespread media coverage of the death in custody, the High Court ordered the government to submit a report detailing the RAB officers involved in the incident and explaining why the RAB picked up Jasmine before a case was even filed. In May, the government formed a committee to examine the death and provide a report within 15 days. The committee turned over a report of the findings to the High Court in August, but the report was not made public. In October, two High Court justices stated the report was unclear and did not provide an adequate explanation of the circumstances of her arrest and detention. At the time of the justices’ comments, the report had still not been released to the public.'

On enforced disappearance, the report stated, 'There were reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. Human rights groups and media reported disappearances and kidnappings continued, allegedly committed by security services. Between January and September, a local human rights organization reported that 32 persons were victims of enforced disappearances. The government made limited efforts to prevent, investigate, or punish such acts. Civil society organizations reported most victims of enforced disappearance were opposition leaders, activists, and dissidents. Following alleged disappearances, security forces released some individuals without charge and arrested others.'

The report, using the reference to Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report noted, “security agencies continue to commit human rights abuses including enforced disappearances, the use of secret prisons, arbitrary arrests, and torture.”

The report highlights that throughout the year, families of victims of enforced disappearances urged the government to repatriate their missing relatives and prosecute members of law enforcement agencies implicated in their abductions. Mayer Dak, an organization advocating for these families, organized rallies and issued statements expressing their members' frustration at the lack of legislative, administrative, or judicial recourse for incidents of enforced disappearances.

It said, 'In February, media outlets reported UN rapporteurs, including the UN chair-rapporteur of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), sent a letter to the government in December 2022 expressing concern over harassment of Mayer Dak and local human rights organization Odhikar.'

Additionally, the report noted that in March, the government announced its investigation into the cases of 28 victims of enforced disappearance but rebuked civil society organizations for purportedly exaggerating the number of enforced disappearance victims reported to the United Nations.

In June, Salahuddin Ahmed, an opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, who had been stranded in India for eight years without valid documents following his forced disappearance in Bangladesh, obtained a travel pass to return home. Ahmed was abducted from his residence in Dhaka in 2015 and remained missing for two months before being discovered across the border in India.

The report outlined that, 'The law limited hate speech but did not clearly define it, which permitted the government broad latitude to interpret it. The government could restrict speech deemed to be against the security of the state; against friendly relations with foreign states; and against public order, decency, or morality; or which constitutes contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to an offence. The law criminalized any criticism of constitutional bodies.'

The report also highlighted that the Digital Security Act (DSA), ostensibly implemented to combat cybercrime, carried sentences of up to life imprisonment for disseminating "propaganda" against the Bangladesh Liberation War, the national anthem, or the national flag. Throughout the year, the government extensively employed the DSA to target individuals critical of its policies. Media outlets and the law minister disclosed over 7,000 pending DSA cases nationwide, with one non-governmental organization (NGO) revealing police cases against 20 children aged 13 to 17 years.

The law was applied to speech found on various digital platforms, including social media, websites, and other online forums, extending its jurisdiction to commentators residing outside the country. Between January 2020 and March 2023, international rights organization Article 19 documented 229 journalists indicted and 56 arrested under the DSA. The Centre for Governance Studies reported that journalists comprised 27 per cent of those accused under the DSA.

Mentioning the UN special rapporteur, the report noted that, 'In May, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights expressed grave concern over the DSA’s misuse to create a climate of fear and censorship. Recommending immediate suspension of the law, he stated journalists, human rights defenders, opposition politicians, and academics were detained under the DSA for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and opinion.' 

The report also expressed concern about the government's decision to replace the Digital Security Act (DSA) with the Cyber Security Act (CSA). 'In August, the government announced it would replace the DSA with the Cyber Security Act (CSA); parliament passed the CSA in September. The CSA reduced penalties for many crimes, made some crimes bailable that previously were not, and eliminated jail time as a punishment for defamation. The CSA, however, recycled almost all DSA sections, and the law continued to allow police the power to search, seize, and arrest suspects without a warrant. Observers charged the CSA was simply the same law with a new name and that the law continued to criminalize free speech. Cases initiated under the repealed DSA continued under the CSA.'