STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The human rights situation in Bangladesh deteriorated in 2024, with widespread fear gripping the population, according to reports from three human rights organisations.

They said law enforcement agencies resorted to indiscriminate firing on protesting students during the mass uprising, killing hundreds.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), and Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) released their annual reports yesterday, drawing on media sources to highlight the year’s key issues.

The reports criticised excessive use of force by law enforcers during the protests, sparked by the controversial January 7 election, boycotted by the BNP and several other political parties.

They also highlighted the quota protests, which ultimately led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government.

ASK reported the use of disproportionate force during the mass uprising, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The organisation demanded impartial investigations into allegations of disappearances, abductions, extrajudicial killings, custodial torture, and deaths to ensure justice and accountability.

MSF urged law enforcement agencies to adopt responsible measures to minimise casualties and avoid excessive force.

It also called for an end to obstruction of free journalism, stating that such actions violate the right to information and freedom of expression.

HRSS stressed the importance of protecting fundamental and constitutional rights by improving law and order, warning that failure to address these issues would further deteriorate the human rights situation.

Both ASK and MSF noted that extrajudicial killings persisted, albeit at a reduced rate.

ASK recorded 21 such deaths. MSF documented 22 deaths in 16 incidents of crossfire or shootouts involving police, Rab, and joint forces, alongside nine custodial deaths.

ASK commended the interim government’s establishment of a Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

However, it reported two cases of enforced disappearances in 2024, with one individual still missing.

MSF highlighted 13 cases of abduction, allegedly by law enforcement impersonators, with several victims later shown as arrested.

Minority communities faced targeted violence, with ASK documenting 521 attacks on homes or businesses, 92 incidents of idol vandalism, and four deaths, including three Hindu victims.

MSF reported 261 attacks on minority groups last year.

Mob violence also saw a sharp rise, with MSF recording 146 deaths and 126 injuries in mob beatings, up from 51 deaths in 2023. ASK reported 128 fatalities from mob beatings.

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