The first half of 2018 was difficult for the human rights situation in Bangladesh, as outlined by Odhikar’s Six-Month Human Rights Monitoring Report covering the period 1 January - 30 June 2018.
Freedom of expression, association and assembly continued to come under fire from January to June 2018, as the space for civil society has continued to shrink and dissenting voices, human rights defenders and political opponents have continued to be repressed. Torture, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances continue to be prevalent, with Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies acting with complete impunity. Civil society also continued to be targeted through harassment, arbitrary arrests and fabricated judicial proceedings. A series of repressive laws remain in force, and the rights of women, migrants, and workers continue to be sidelined.
The culture of impunity created by the Bangladeshi government means the human rights violations documented in Odhikar’s six-month report most often go unpunished, especially as the government continues the deny the existence of many of these abuses. As the country prepares itself for general elections due to be held at the end of the year, this worsening human rights climate clearly demonstrates the need for concerted action to ensure a commitment to rule of law, democracy and social justice in Bangladesh.