STAFF CORRESPONDENT

In 2025, freedom of expression, association, and assembly remained unnecessarily restricted under the interim government, London-based Amnesty International said in its annual report.

The rights organisation also noted that individuals, including human rights defenders, faced arbitrary arrests and harassment for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

“The interim government’s ban on the Awami League political party brought into question their commitment to upholding freedom of association,” Amnesty said in its annual report, titled, “The State of the World’s Human Rights” covering 2025, published on April 21.

The interim government took office in August 2024 following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League administration. After the February 12 polls, a BNP-led government assumed power.

Incidents of harassment, violence, and arrests targeting individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression -- including human rights defenders, journalists, authors, bloggers, and poets -- continued throughout 2025, the report said.

The Cyber Security Act of 2023, a law used by the former government against critics in ways that contravened the right to freedom of expression, continued to be used by the interim government to deter activism.

The Act was later repealed and replaced by the Cyber Security Ordinance, which took effect in May and was intended to remain in force until formal approval by a future parliament.

In August, the High Court dismissed a case filed in 2018 under the Information and Communication Technology Act against activist photographer Shahidul Alam.

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