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political affiliations of judges and prosecutors appointed to the ICT.

It added that journalists and professionals were named as accused in murder cases, raising serious questions about the misuse of the justice system.

Addressing the event, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman warned that failure to control mob violence could affect the upcoming February 12 election.

He added that the phenomenon of mob violence in Bangladesh “actually started from within the government”, saying the Bangladesh Secretariat became one of the first places where mobs emerged. According to him, these groups later gained power in this way, weakening the government’s moral authority.

On election-related violence, Iftekharuzzaman cautioned, “We all hope there won’t be a single killing… But we cannot guarantee that. From that perspective, we believe the risk of violence will remain not only until February 12, but also for several days afterwards.”

He said the government was aware of the risks and had the authority, skills and experience to act. However, he expressed concern based on Bangladesh’s past electoral history. “Elections in Bangladesh have rarely been completely free of violence… Lessons from previous polls must be used to prevent violence this time.”

The TIB chief also expressed concern over the post-July accountability process, saying journalists have been detained in mass cases over allegations of involvement in killings during the movement.

He asked whether such actions against journalists were acts of justice or acts of revenge, warning that this approach makes it difficult to identify real perpetrators and supporters of authoritarianism.

While responding to reporters’ questions, he said, “Politicians and bureaucrats have learned nothing from the July movement and remain focused on protecting their own interests. As a result, they objected to proposals placed before the consensus commission aimed at creating a government accountable to the people.”

He said if the basic concept of a “note of dissent” is accepted, then decisions reached through consensus could still be implemented.

“Prioritising the opinions of the majority is a global practice, though it remains unclear whether this will be followed in Bangladesh… If a referendum verdict goes in favour of ‘yes’, implementation of reforms will depend on the goodwill of the future government.”

He also said, “The interim government could have set an example by making their wealth statements public, but it did not.”

Iftekharuzzaman criticised two recent ordinances -- the Broadcasting Commission Ordinance and the Media Commission Ordinance -- saying the media has been deliberately ignored and new risks have been created.

He questioned whether the interim government truly believes in allowing the media to work freely, professionally and safely, describing the reform commissions concerned as symbolic measures aimed at placing the media under greater government control.

On judicial reform, he said, “The interim government has taken some positive steps, including forming a judicial appointment committee and moving toward an independent judicial secretariat.”

However, he noted that the effectiveness of these measures would ultimately be tested under the next government, adding that politicisation within the judiciary remains a major challenge.

He urged political parties to make a strong commitment to keeping state institutions and professional bodies free from politics.