Transparency on extrajudicial killings improves under interim government: US State Department

Transparency over extrajudicial killings has improved modestly since the change of government last year, following years of secrecy under the Awami League administration, according to the "2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bangladesh" released by the US State Department.

The report said the previous government presided over widespread impunity for abuses, including arbitrary killings, disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, and severe restrictions on free expression.

Officials or security personnel accused of such acts were rarely prosecuted, and when charges were brought, punishment was usually limited to administrative measures.

On extrajudicial killings, the report said the Awami League government did not release any official statistics or take transparent steps to investigate allegations.

By contrast, the interim government has begun publishing partial data and inviting public input to verify its records.

However, the report also noted a discrepancy in the number of deaths during July and September last year between the interim government and other organisations.

Citing the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), the report noted that at least 986 people, including students, children, political activists, labourers, and police, were killed between 16 July and 9 September.

Verified footage showed police, paramilitary forces, and political party activists firing live rounds and rubber bullets at unarmed protesters.

On 24 September, the interim government released a draft list documenting 708 protest-related deaths and called for public verification.

The Students Against Discrimination health committee claimed higher figures, 1,423 killed and 22,000 injured, with 77% dying from bullet wounds. Over half of the dead were students, and 70% were under 30.

Outside the protests, alleged extrajudicial killings continued at similar levels to the previous year until July, the State Department report says.

Ain o Salish Kendra reported 17 such deaths between January and October, including cases linked to alleged torture in custody, "crossfire" incidents, and deaths during joint police-army operations.

The report noted that while abuses have not ceased, the interim government's willingness to release figures and investigate marks a shift from the secrecy of the past.