Ensure justice for enforced disappearances and murders, withdraw AL ban: Int’l rights group in UNGA follow-up letter to Yunus

A group of international human rights organisations has urged Bangladesh's interim government to ensure justice for enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, pursue deep security sector reforms, and withdraw the ban on Awami League activities.

In a joint follow-up letter to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, dated 19 October, the group Robert F Kennedy Human Rights expressed concern that the security sector remains largely unreformed more than a year after the July Uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government.

"We are deeply concerned that the security sector remains largely unreformed and that members of security forces have not been fully cooperative with accountability and reform efforts," the letter stated.

The signatories include Human Rights Watch, CIVICUS, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Fortify Rights, Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, and the Tech Global Institute. The letter followed their meeting with the chief adviser during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) 2025 in New York.

Call for justice and accountability

The organisations acknowledged the interim government's "critical steps to restore basic freedoms, initiate legal reforms, and investigate enforced disappearances and other abuses," but urged it to pursue justice for serious violations committed under the previous government and ensure accountability for abuses during the July Uprising and the past 15 years.

They highlighted the International Crimes Tribunal's (ICT) recent move to charge and issue warrants for current and former members of security forces, including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), for crimes against humanity such as enforced disappearances and torture.

"The military should provide full support for these accountability efforts, including by respecting the jurisdiction of the ICT, a civilian court," the letter read.

The groups urged the interim government to ensure the ICT's independence, adequate resources, and fair trial standards, and to declare a moratorium on the death penalty, including for cases under the tribunal's jurisdiction.

Reforming the security sector

The organisations called for comprehensive security sector reform, including the disbandment of RAB and limiting the DGFI's powers to military intelligence functions.

"RAB's track record of perpetrating serious abuses with impunity has put the institution well beyond reform," they wrote.

"The DGFI's involvement in enforced disappearances and other serious abuses underscores the need for clear legal limits and a defined mandate."

Criminalising enforced disappearances

The groups urged the interim government to criminalise enforced disappearances in line with international standards and to support the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

They recommended adopting the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance, ensuring it complies with global human rights conventions and excludes the death penalty.

Reforming national institutions and laws

The letter called for a reform of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in line with the Paris Principles, ensuring independence from political influence and empowering it to investigate abuses by security forces and state actors.

It also urged reforms to restrictive laws that limit freedom of expression — including the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, Anti-Terrorism Act, Special Powers Act, Official Secrets Act, and criminal defamation provisions in the Penal Code.

"While the interim government repealed the Cyber Security Act 2023, its replacement fails to meet international standards and poses serious risks of state overreach," the letter warned.

The groups also recommended amending the draft Personal Data Protection Ordinance and National Data Management Ordinance to strengthen privacy protections and prevent state surveillance.

Ensuring press freedom and civil liberties

The organisations urged the government to ensure press freedom, protect journalists from arbitrary arrest, and investigate violence and harassment against media workers.

They also called for an end to arbitrary arrests and politically motivated cases, particularly against Awami League members and supporters detained without credible evidence.

"The interim government should dismiss such cases lodged before and after August 2024, regardless of political affiliation," the letter said.

Withdraw ban on Awami League activities

The rights groups demanded the withdrawal of the broad ban on Awami League activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act, saying it excessively restricts freedoms of association, assembly, and expression.

Citing a UN fact-finding report from February 2025 that found evidence of human rights abuses by top Awami League leaders, the organisations said, "The interim government should refrain from political party bans that undermine multi-party democracy and disenfranchise a large part of the electorate."

Reform civil society operations

The groups called on the government to lift restrictions on NGO funding and operations and reform the NGO Affairs Bureau and the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act to ensure civil society organisations can operate freely.

"The NGO Affairs Bureau has long functioned as a political tool to harass civil society by delaying and denying project approvals," the letter stated.

Protect Rohingya refugees

The letter urged the interim government to protect Rohingya refugees from forced repatriation, noting that no part of Myanmar is currently safe for voluntary and sustainable return.

"We urge the interim government to prevent forced repatriation and ease camp restrictions that limit movement, livelihoods, and education," the groups wrote.

They also called for Bangladesh's full cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the Bangladesh-Myanmar situation, including the arrest and transfer of any individuals wanted by the ICC.

Deepen reforms before 2026 polls

Concluding the letter, the groups urged the interim government to expand human rights protections and strengthen democratic institutions before the 2026 general elections.

"In the narrow window before the 2026 elections, we urge you to ensure Bangladesh has the strong institutions needed for free and fair polls and to guard against future backsliding," the letter said.