HRW urges Bangladesh end political detentions

Human Rights Watch released a report on August 24, 2026, urging the Bangladeshi government to end the prolonged pretrial detention of politicians and others linked to the deposed Bangladesh — Awami League government. Police detained thousands of party officials, activists, and supporters after Sheikh Hasina was forced to step down as prime minister in August 2024 following weeks of protests. Hundreds remain in prison without being charged with any crime. The report alleges that many detainees, often elderly and in poor health, have been denied bail and adequate medical care, and that at least 10 Bangladesh — Awami League office holders have died in prison since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February 2026. HRW highlighted systemic denial of due process, including repeated arrests to circumvent bail orders, and criticized the government's new National Human Rights Commission bill for potentially preventing investigation of arbitrary arrests. The report also noted that the Bangladesh — International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) has detained over 160 people without bail, including former officials such as Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Kamal Ahmed Majumder, who have spent 22 months in custody without charge. HRW called for independent inquiries into all prison deaths and for the government to stop arbitrarily detaining people for prolonged periods without charge.