The Human Rights Situation in Bangladesh 2025

In 2025, the people of Bangladesh witnessed several important developments. The interim government, which assumed responsibility as a result of the 2024 mass uprising, set up six reform commissions and later the consensus commission. These commissions held long-term meetings with active political parties and formulated the July Charter for the reconstruction of Bangladesh. At the same time, the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election on February 12, 2026 and the referendum on the July Charter has been announced. The present government has taken some significant steps to promote judicial independence and human rights. The ordinance for the establishment of a separate judiciary secretariat, an ordinance on the Human Rights Commission, the enforced disappearances prevention and redressal ordinance, and the ordinance were issued according to the recommendations of the Police Reform Commission. 

The present government has taken some steps to promote human rights, but it has been negligible compared to the need. As a result, the real picture of the human rights situation in 2025 was worrisome. The human rights situation in 2025 was dismal due to the inactivity of law enforcement agencies in preventing human rights violations of citizens, the lack of effective role of the government, and the irresponsibility and apathy of the larger political parties. Even after more than half a century of independence, the guarantee of people's expected standard of living, rights and security has not been realized. For the people of Bangladesh, the real establishment of equality, human dignity, social justice, human rights, and democracy remains a dream. Although there were expectations of an overall improvement in the human rights situation under the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, which was formed through the mass uprising of August 2024 at the cost of thousands of student and citizen lives, the previous patterns of human rights violations continued, and some new patterns were added.

A review of the 2025 Human Rights Situation shows that political violence, mob violence, public lynchings and killings, deaths in custody and torture, repression and rape of women, border killings, attacks and vandalism at shrines, and attacks on the media and journalists have increased. Interference with freedom of speech, child abuse, persecution of minorities, death in prison, attacks on workers, obstruction of meetings and assemblies have been reported regularly. During this period, a number of social crimes, including extortion, theft, snatching, robbery, and murder have taken place, which have created fear and panic among the people.

On February 5, 6 and 7, agitated students attacked, vandalised and set on fire to the house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sudha Sadan, the residence of Sheikh Hasina, and the offices and houses of Awami League leaders at different places across the country Following the announcement of broadcasting statements by former ruler Sheikh Hasina in virtual programs.  On May 12, the interim government led by Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus banned the activities of the Awami League and its affiliates, associates and like-minded organisations, which were ousted in August last year.

Tension and clashes between student organizations in educational institutions across the country created fear among students. In the capital, road blockades for various demands caused public suffering. There were several incidents of attacks on political leaders and activists at court premises and prison gates, and attacks on police stations and police to snatch accused persons, allegedly involving leaders and activists of political organizations. Allegations of irregularities arose in joint force operations, including special operations named “Operation Devil Hunt,” conducted to combat terrorism and improve law and order. Additionally, incidents such as push-ins of Bengali-speaking people through various Indian borders by the BSF, killing, injuring, and arresting innocent Bangladeshis, and the detention of Bangladeshi vessels and fishermen by Myanmar’s Arakan Army, along with cross-border shootings, landmine explosions, and mortar shell explosions, raised serious concerns about the human rights situation.

On 16 July 2025, during clashes and shootings between joint forces and local Awami League and banned Chhatra League activists surrounding the NCP’s “July Padajatra” program in Gopalganj, five people were killed and more than a hundred were injured. In Rangpur, following the arrest of a teenager on allegations of blasphemy, an enraged mob carried out brutal attacks on at least 20 houses of the Hindu minority community. On 9 July 2025, in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Midford) in Old Dhaka, businessman Md. Sohag was brutally beaten, hacked, and crushed to death in public, which was extremely barbaric and worrisome.

On July 21, a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) fighter training aircraft crashed at Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara area. At least 37 people, including the pilot, were killed and more than 150 were seriously injured, most of them were children.

On August 15, several individuals were harassed and beaten up while paying homage at Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence in Dhanmondi 32. Former DUCSU Vice-President Nurul Haque Nur and several other leaders and activists were seriously injured in a clash between the Jatiya Party and the Gono Odhikar Parishad in front of the Jatiya Partys Kakrail Bijoynagar office in the capital. on August 29. As a consequence, on 30 August, the Jatiya Party central office in Kakrail was vandalized and set on fire. Similar attacks occurred on Jatiya Party offices in several districts.

In September, severe violence in Guimara, Khagrachhari district resulted in the killing of three hill people, attacks on law enforcement, and the burning of more than a hundred houses and shops in Rameshu Bazaar. Additionally, female candidates in DUCSU, JUCSU, CUCSU, JnUCSU, and RUCSU elections faced severe bullying on social media.

It is a tragic incident that on December 12, Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi was seriously injured when miscreants shot him in the head in the Paltan-Bijoynagar area of the capital. He died in a hospital in Singapore on December 18 after a week-long life-and-death battle. Osman Hadi was a thoughtful political figure, an important voice of the mass uprising and was campaigning as a potential candidate in the upcoming election in Dhaka-8 constituency. It is alarming that following the spread of news of Sharif Osman bin Hadi’s death on the night of 18 December, organized attackers vandalized, looted, and set fire to the offices of Prothom Alo in Karwan Bazar and The Daily Star on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. At the same time, they vandalized and looted the offices of cultural institutions Chhayanaut and Udichi. It is also alarming that on the night of 18 December, in front of Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Limited factory in Jamirdia Dubaliapara, Bhaluka upazila, Mymensingh, a garment worker named Dipu Chandra Das (27) was publicly beaten to death on false allegations of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The mob later hung the body from a tree one kilometer away on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway and burned it with petrol.

Ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, the level of political instability, party and internal violence, infighting, party dominance and political discord has increased to a great extent. Political counter-attacks, intimidation, obstruction and suppression are being put under pressure in different regions, especially as the election atmosphere becomes increasingly heated. Even the loss of life and casualties due to domination and political conflict is an indication of multi-dimensional crisis and concern.