Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), in a statement has called on the government to lift the curfew, halt mass arrests, and cease the harassment of both political and non-political citizens.

The party criticized the regime's use of an internet blackout and lack of access to social media, characterizing these measures as indicative of a government determined to cling to power by any means.

The AB Party also condemned the unlawful detention of Mojibur Rahman Monju, the party's Member Secretary. Monju was reportedly taken by plainclothes policemen in the early hours of July 30, 2024, with no information provided about his whereabouts for several days.

He was subsequently presented in court on July 31 and remanded in custody for an additional five days for interrogation.

Despite clear legal guidelines from the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, which mandate informing the family, providing access to legal representation, and presenting detainees in court within 24 hours, law enforcement agencies have not acknowledged Monju’s detention.

In addition to Monju, numerous opposition activists and student protesters have been detained from their homes during the night without charges or warrants. Last week, party leaders ABM Khalid Hasan and Ainul Hoque were also reportedly taken into custody by police.

After detaining individuals for several days and subjecting them to severe torture, authorities have charged them in various fabricated cases as a means to obscure the violence inflicted on students and protesters since July 15, 2024.

The scale of these mass arrests has set a new record for the regime in both scope and rapidity.

The AB Party has called for an end to the prevailing climate of fear and uncertainty by lifting the curfew.

Violations of rights

While the constitution theoretically permits civic and political activities, these rights are effectively suppressed nationwide.

Public protests and demonstrations against the alleged genocide have been banned, and efforts to seek justice for the victims have led to increased repression by law enforcement.

Additionally, six coordinators of the anti-quota movement were taken into custody by the detective branch of the police, with three of them being apprehended at a hospital where they were receiving treatment for injuries sustained from previous torture.

Many top organizers are now in hiding. The AB Party has demanded their immediate release and called for an end to further harassment and arrests.

The regime has accused opposition political parties of instigating the widespread, student-led uprising, which has emerged in response to long-standing demands for reforms in public service employment and other undemocratic practices by the government.

Widespread public frustration over soaring inflation, rampant money laundering, high unemployment, lawlessness, and corruption has driven masses to the streets in protest.

However, the regime has dismissed this outcry as a political maneuver aimed at toppling the unelected government and has responded with an unprecedented level of repression.

The AB Party has called for an immediate cessation of all forms of violence and demands that citizens be allowed to exercise their democratic and constitutional rights.

Formation of an independent commission

The AB Party is also urging the formation of an independent commission to thoroughly investigate the deaths and injuries resulting from the regime's violent response to the protests.

This commission would be tasked with documenting casualties, determining their causes, and identifying those responsible among the police, military, and paramilitary forces.

In a bid to suppress the protests, the regime imposed an 11-day total internet shutdown, and connectivity remains unstable, with social media still inaccessible. The AB Party has called for the restoration of a stable internet connection free from government interference.

The AB Party has yet to see any sign of accountability from the regime regarding the violence and mass killings of the past two weeks.

Consequently, the party is calling for the immediate resignation of the current government, the establishment of an interim caretaker administration, and the prompt holding of free, fair, and credible elections to prevent further democratic decline and economic deterioration.

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