Bangladesh became a lower-middle income country in 2015 from one of the poorest countries at birth in 1971, and is on target to graduate from the United Nations Least Developed Countries (LDC) list and become a middle-income country by 2026. Bangladesh has a strong track record of growth and development despite global uncertainty. Strong readymade garments (RMG) exports, resilient remittance flows, and stable macroeconomic conditions have supported rapid economic growth over the past two decades. In particular, Bangladesh has made numerous notable advancements under the present government in the fields of communication and infrastructure development including the launch of the Metrorail and the construction of Padma Bridge. However, the recent price hike of daily commodities has raised questions in the public mind.

In contrast, notwithstanding the country's many positive achievements in the 51 years since independence, the overall human rights including the rule of law, democracy, and people's right to vote, freedom of expression, the right to assembly, social security, and women’s rights has not been fully respected. Violations of human rights continue to occur in Bangladesh notwithstanding constitutional obligation and international laws and treaties. Obstruction of peaceful assembly, false cases, political arrests, extrajudicial killings, torture in police custody, and unlawful behavior by members of law enforcement agencies, disappearances after abductions, violence against women, and public lynching all persist, according to the annual report of the human rights situation in 2022. The report shows that the overall human rights condition in 2022 is as frightful as it was in 2021 and has become deteriorated to some extent.
According to collected data from prominent national dailies and HRSS investigation unit, a total of 36 people were reportedly extra-judicially killed in 2022. Out of them, 07 were killed in the name of ‘crossfire/ so-called gunfights’, 07 were tortured to death, 13 shot to death and 09 died in the custody in a total of 32 incidents. At the same time, about 55 persons reportedly died in prison. Moreover, a total of 11 persons have ‘disappeared’ by the LEAs (i.e., remained missing for at least 72 hours) according to demand of victim family in 11 incidents. Out of them, 10 were shown arrested and the remaining 01 returned home.

On the other hand, a total of 1284 females were raped in 2022. Among them, 552 victims were adults whereas alarmingly 732 were children under the age of 18. It’s a grave concern that 258 have been victim of gang-raped, 42 were brutally killed after being raped and 08 committed suicide for rape. Besides, 159 incidents of dowry-related violence were reported, where 70 were killed, 07 committed suicide and 82 women were physically abused over dowry demand.

Moreover, a total of 531 girls and women were reportedly victims of sexual harassment and another 229 girls and women were the victim of an attempt to rape. Furthermore, 15 girls and women were injured and 03 killed in 15 incidents of acid violence. It is also alarming that a total of 1415 violent incidents against children were reported in 2022, where 372 children lost their lives and 1232 were physically & mentally tortured and critically injured.
According to data collected by HRSS from January to December’22, two journalists were killed, 165 journalists were injured, 43 threatened, 05 arrested and 38 were assaulted in nearly 169 incidents. Meanwhile, 84 people were arrested, 516 accused and 85 cases were filed in a total of 85 incidents of the Digital Security Act 2018. HRSS has also observed the incidents of attacks on minorities in 2022, where at least 12 temples and 16 houses were partially or fully destroyed. Meanwhile, 48 minority people were injured in a total of 28 incidents. Moreover, at least 115 people were killed and 9094 people injured in political violence; whereas, around 3141 persons were victim of political arrested (most of them 2721) are opposite BNP and JAMAAT leaders and activists) by LEAs. Unexpectedly, around 38 people were killed and 83 were injured in a tital of 79 incidents of public lynching in 2022.

According to annual report of HRSS, roughly 22 Bangladeshi citizens have been killed, 24 injured, 11 shot, and 30 persons arrested by BSF (Indian Border Security Force) in a total of 47 incidents. At the same time, 30 laborers were killed, 607 injured and another 30 were shot in a total of 124 incidents.

It has also been reported that between January and December 2022, at least 52 people died; approximately 1410 people were injured and about 100 persons sustained bullet hits in a total of 195 incidents of election-related violence. Meanwhile, in a total of 147 incidents of inhuman torture and shooting by LEAs, 2257 people were injured, 100 were hit by bullet and 28 people were tortured.

HRSS is deeply concerned about the degradation of human rights condition in the country. It urges all human rights organizations as well as common citizens to raise their voice to protect and promote human rights in Bangladesh.