The transition from autocracy to democracy that we are currently undergoing has been described by United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk as "a historic opportunity to ensure governance is anchored in human rights, inclusivity, and rule of law." In a statement on August 16, he added, "The transition ahead presents a historic opportunity to reform and revitalise the country’s institutions, to restore fundamental freedoms and civic space, and to give all in Bangladesh a part in building the future." As we move forward with several reform agendas that can be implemented within a short timeframe, it is essential to have a national conversation on what "governance anchored in human rights" should truly look like. Despite repeated denials by successive governments since independence, numerous UN human rights reports have documented various violations and shortcomings in political, social, and cultural rights. The past 15 years, however, have seen the most ...

  Our worst apprehension, which we so desperately wanted to escape, has tragically become reality with an avoidable loss of lives - of a policeman and an opposition activist. With the government’s change of heart in allowing the opposition BNP to hold its grand rally in front of its party office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka, we thought the tension that had risen due to the ruling party’s vow to keep hold on the city streets would be eased. Despite reports of several obstructive measures being put in place to restrict a huge flow of opposition supporters entering Dhaka, there was little chances, until midday, that the protest would become violent.  Observers were rather worried over how the stand-off between police and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh activists over the latter’s vow to hold an unauthorised grand rally at Shapla Chattar turn out. Instead of any trouble, Jamaat was allowed to have its rally, just a few hundred metres away from their planned spot in Motijheel. It was so content...

It is quite encouraging to hear Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tell British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly that the Awami League government wants the national polls in Bangladesh to be free and fair like they are in the United Kingdom. It is probably the most specific statement to persuade the international community that there won’t be any repetition of the previous two parliamentary elections widely seen as neither free nor fair. Her party won the January 2014 election well before a single vote was cast, as it was boycotted by others following the unilateral abolition of the constitutional provision for election-time non-partisan caretaker government. Though the next election held in December 2018 was a participatory one, it was, again, marred with controversies, including ballot stuffing on the night before, reportedly aided by government officials and members of the law enforcement agencies. Besides those two parliamentary elections, a few other elections held over the last 10 year...

  Now that the dust has settled in Dhaka following the peaceful and orderly staging of the BNP’s mass rally we need to find some answers to a few simple questions. A rally that was expected to last a maximum of six hours has cost more than 10 millions Dhaka residents anything between a day and four days (varying on locations) of their normal daily routines, including  office work, shopping, children’s coaching, medical appointments, shopping, leisure and other activities.  The images of anti-riot armoured vehicles, water cannons, and AK-47 wielding special forces patrolling certain city streets resembled a war zone, and not a democratic square. The worry and concerns expressed, and issuance of the advisories by foreign missions in Dhaka to their own nationals, therefore, were not that unwarranted, especially after some ministers expressed annoyance at and issued veiled warnings to foreign diplomats.  The BNP announced its series of rallies in 10 divisional venues on ...

Since mid-August, hardly a day has passed when newspapers have not published a photograph or  story depicting attacks by the members of the ruling Awami League on the members of its arch rival, the BNP. These attacks have intensified following quite a few ministers’ assertion that their party would not leave the streets for the opposition to occupy. It follows BNP’s serial agitation programmes across Bangladesh protesting price hikes, the ongoing energy crisis and alleged corruption. The statements by ministers were clearly taken by the ruling party members as a signal for resisting any attempts by the opposition parties to organise protests against the government. Though the BNP is the prime target of such denial of public space, parties like the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Gono Odhikar Parishad, too, have not been spared.    With exceptions, particularly if attacked by police, most of the recent reports suggest that the BNP has made no serious attempts ...

Over the last few weeks, newspapers have been publishing two contrasting pictures. One shows the activists of the ruling Awami League carrying locally-made arms in a display of muscle power and dominance in the political sphere, and the other is of angry BNP supporters holding protests in larger numbers. In never ending confrontational politics such contrasting images are not unusual, but the difference in policing those public gatherings is quite shocking.  Though police are supposed to be neutral and sincere in maintaining peace and order, their actions and inactions could not be more partisan. Reports suggest that, over the fortnight, there were clashes in more than 70 places across Bangladesh. In most cases, armed supporters of the ruling party attacked BNP activists where police remained mere spectators, but in other incidents, they too became involved in violence - often with brutal and excessive force. The worst, however, is the shocking revelation that a member of the Detec...

  Recent incidents of violence, including attacks on public establishments, seem to have unnerved our police. As a result, the Inspector General of Police has instructed senior law enforcement officials to firmly address such incidence, even with the use of "more powerful weapons"—should firing rubber bullets prove ineffective in bringing the situation under control, according to the   Prothom Alo.   The report, quoting officials, said that the IGP expressed his dissatisfaction, as the "Hefazat-led violence" could not be brought under control by firing rubber bullets. The virtual meeting held on April 7 was attended by senior officials at the police headquarters. Within 24 hours, the media published pictures of light machine guns being put up at police stations in Sylhet, one of the districts that had witnessed some degree of mob violence in recent weeks. These developments came after violence in Dhaka, Chittagong and Bhraminbaria left at least 17 people dead, durin...

The launching of an On-site Identification and Verification System (OIVS) by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is undoubtedly a significant addition of a digital tool in policing. It will allow them to dig out details of anyone's NID, passport and immigration history, criminal database, previous arrest history and information about any stay in jail within seconds, simply by putting in the fingerprint of a suspect into the OIVS. The device required for the OIVS is as portable as a mobile phone and works via WiFi and mobile connections. According to a press release issued by RAB on February 28, it claims, immediate access of law enforcement agencies to various national databases including NID, Passport and BRTA has become urgent. But it is not always possible to get information directly from the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center's (NTMC) databases. Hence, RAB's Management of Information System (MIS) unit has developed its own tracking system. About a week later, on Ma...

  "The Police does not shoulder the responsibility of any misdeed committed by an individual", claims the Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA), a representative body of the members of the police cadre in the country. The statement was aimed at calming tensions created due to the unfortunate extrajudicial killing of Major (rtd) Rashed Md Khan Sinha in Cox's Bazar by a police team. It must be noted that till now, none of the members of the BPSA have been named in the Sinha murder case. However, the irony was, on the day the association issued the statement, one of its members, an SP of Rajshahi Range, was sued in Dhaka for the abduction and extortion of a businessman. Besides, some more stories appeared in the media in the last few days alleging police excesses, extortion, corruption and another extrajudicial killing in the same Cox's Bazar district, which appears to be a pattern throughout the country. The BPSA statement claimed that Bangladesh Police took acti...

Going by social media trends, the arrest of the alleged rapist of the Dhaka University student has failed to convince a significant number of people that he is indeed the real offender. Some politicians too in their public statements have cast doubts about the integrity of the investigation, comparing it with the infamous case of Joj Miah, from whom the police had obtained a confession for the grenade attack on the Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina. The reason for such cynicism, however annoying it may be for the law enforcing agencies, is trust deficiency. Unfortunately, there’s little evidence that the police have taken any note of it. At least, media reports on events and discussions during the recently held Police Week do not reflect any such concern. Like previous years, there were demands for more resources, perks and privileges. The demands requiring more spending commitments from the public exchequer in recent years have got sympathetic considerations from the government too...

Charges of extortion, laid against the editor of Sheershanews.com, a Bangladeshi news portal, is nothing new in Bangladesh - especially when the rich and powerful need to teach some lesson to somebody who is annoying or causing problem for them. It's an overused tool of harassment.   Perhaps, some of them of forgotten that in 2008, the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also arrested on charges of extortion. At least, three extortion cases were lodged against her - and one of the accusers was a member of her party who also sought nominations from her Awami League in the following elections.   Similar extortion cases were also lodged against two sons of former Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia and several other leading politicians.     All those extortion cases against leading politicians filed by some millionaires during the army-backed caretaker government were either withdrawn well before the general election in 2008 or quashed by the High Court later. And, surpris...