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The Human Rights Situation in Bangladesh 2025 In 2025, the people of Bangladesh have witnessed several important things. The interim government, which took over as a result of the 2024 mass uprising, set up six reform commissions and later the consensus commission. Those who held meetings with the political parties for a long time 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 inaction 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. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who was formed in August 2024 through a mass uprising that cost the lives of thousands of students, has been expected to improve the human rights situation. A review of the 2025 Situation of Human Rights shows that political violence, mob violence, mob 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 jail, attacks on workers, obstruction of meetings and rallies 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 in the minds of the people. On February 5, 6 and 7, angry students attacked, vandalised and set 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. 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 different educational institutions of the country have created panic in the minds of the students. Public misery has been created by blocking roads in the capital to meet various demands. Attacks on political leaders and activists at courts and prison gates; There have been several incidents of political involvement in attacks on police stations and police, where there are allegations of involvement of political leaders and activists. There have been allegations of irregularities in the special operation called 'Operation Devil Hunt' in coordination with the joint forces to combat terrorism in the country, improve the law and order situation and bring the terrorists under the law. Besides, the BSF pushing Bangla-speaking people through different Indian borders, killing, injuring and arresting innocent Bangladeshis, detaining Bangladeshi ships and fishermen by Myanmar's Arakan Army, firing, mines and mortar shells on the border have raised concerns about the human rights situation. On July 16, 2025, five people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between local Awami League and banned Chhatra League leaders and activists in Gopalganj during the NCP's 'July Padayatra' programme. After the arrest of a teenager on charges of blasphemy in Rangpur, a mob organised and brutally attacked at least 20 houses belonging to the minority Hindu community. The manner in which businessman Md Sohag was brutally beaten, hacked and brutally beaten to death in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Midford) in Old Dhaka on July 9, 2025 is very 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 children. On August 15, several people were harassed and beaten up while paying homage at 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 Jatiya Party in front of the party's Kakrail Bijoynagar office in the capital on August 29. The Jatiya Party's central office at Kakrail in the capital was vandalised and set on fire on August 30. Jatiya Party offices were also attacked, vandalised and set on fire in some districts of the country. In September last year, three hill men were killed in a violent incident in Guimara area of Khagrachhari district, attacks on law enforcers and burnt down hundreds of houses and shops in Ramesu Bazar. Besides, female candidates from DUCSU, JAKSU, Chaksu, JnAKSU and RUCSU elections have been subjected to horrific bullying on social media. It is a tragic incident that on December 12, Inquilab Manch spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi was seriously injured when terrorists 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 possible candidate in the upcoming election in Dhaka-8 constituency . It is a matter of great concern that on Thursday night, December 18, after the news of the death of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi spread, the organized attackers vandalized and looted the offices of the Daily Star at Prothom Alo and Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in the capital's Karwan Bazar and set it on fire. At the same time, they vandalized and looted the offices of Chhayanaut and Udichi cultural institutions. It is a matter of concern that on the night of December 18, a garment worker named Dipu Chandra Das (27) was beaten to death in front of the factory of Pioneer Knitwear (BD) Limited at Jamirdia Dubaliapara in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh. They hung it from a tree on the Mymensingh highway and set it on fire 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
Based on reports published in 12 national media outlets in Bangladesh and data collected by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), the following information has been revealed in the 2024 Human Rights Observation Report.
