Amid everything that has unfolded recently in Bangladesh—the killing of Hadi, the burning of The Daily Star/Prothom Alo, the return of Tarique Rahman, the death of Khaleda Zia, the NCP’s alliance with Jamaat, and the mounting drama surrounding the upcoming elections/referendum—one critical issue that has in recent weeks gone almost completely overlooked: the continuing and long-standing practice of arbitrary detention in Bangladesh’s prisons (continuing the practice that dominated the Awami League period)
Under the Yunus government, large numbers of people have been arrested and detained in connection with murder cases, primarily relating to the July 2024 killings, in the absence of any credible evidence – and without any investigation. Despite this, they are either unable to secure bail or are afraid even to apply for bail, knowing that the police may simply file new cases against them.
That the Yunus government has allowed this situation to persist is deeply troubling – indeed scandalous. That it now appears prepared to pass this unresolved injustice on to an incoming elected government is worse still.
Yunus and his government will no doubt get mixed reviews – some good, some bad. But, how it dealt with arbitrary detentions will remain (or at least should remain) a huge blot on it’s – and Yunus’s – reputation
