Interim government breaks from Awami League-era abuses: US report

Bangladeshi security forces under the previous Awami League government routinely tortured suspects in custody, including beatings with iron rods, electric shocks, rape and mock executions, a US State Department report said. 

The report, "2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bangladesh", highlighted that many incidents occurred during "remand" periods, when detainees could be held without a lawyer, and some resulted in deaths. 

No such cases have been reported since an interim government took office last year.

The report also flagged widespread child marriage, with more than half of girls marrying before 18, and praised the interim administration's move to expand aid to unregistered Rohingya refugees. 

It noted that the former government engaged in transnational repression of critics abroad, while the interim authorities have not faced such allegations.

The reported noted that some politicians and imams made antisemetic statements, and that there very few Jewish residents in Bangladesh.

Torture allegations under previous government

The US State Department said local and international human rights groups documented that police, intelligence services, and military personnel under the Awami League government used torture and other degrading treatment against detainees. 

These abuses often took place during remand, when suspects could be interrogated without legal counsel. 

Victims described being beaten with iron rods, subjected to kneecapping, given electric shocks, sexually assaulted, and threatened with mock executions.

In one case, Farooq Hossain died in police custody in January; his widow alleged he was forcibly detained, tortured, and that police demanded a bribe for his release. She reported seeing injury marks on his body at the morgue. 

The report said torture was used to extract information from political opponents, alleged militants, or to solicit bribes. It noted that impunity was widespread among security forces due to political interference, corruption, and lack of independent oversight.

Since the interim government was installed, no reports of torture during remand have been documented.

Child marriage trends

Child marriage remains prevalent despite legal prohibitions. The marriage age is 18 for women and 21 for men, but exceptions exist under "special circumstances." 

According to the UN Population Fund's 2024 assessment, 51% of girls marry before turning 18, with higher rates in rural areas.

Government data also show an increase in early marriages among girls under 15 (from 6.5% in 2022 to 8.2% in 2023) and under 18 (from 40.9% to 41.6%). 

Authorities and NGOs are attempting to address the problem through school stipends, parent education programs, and reporting tools like the Joya App and 109 Hotline, though civil society groups note survivors have reduced influence in family planning decisions.

Rohingya refugee support

Bangladesh continues to host over one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled Myanmar's Rakhine State in 2017. 

While not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Bangladesh cooperates with UNHCR and aid agencies to provide assistance.

The report noted that under the Awami League, over 65,000 Rohingya who arrived in 2024 were not registered. 

In October, the interim government allowed aid agencies to provide lifesaving assistance to these unregistered individuals through a token system. As of December 31, Bhasan Char island hosted 36,593 refugees with access to education, healthcare, and vocational training under a 2021 UNHCR agreement.

The end of transnational repression

The State Department said the previous government engaged in transnational repression, including harassment and surveillance of relatives of critics living abroad. 

Journalists, activists, and political opponents in the diaspora reported such tactics were used to deter dissent.

Since the interim government took office, no such incidents have been reported. In one case from the past, 57 Bangladeshi migrant workers in the UAE were detained after supporting student protests in Bangladesh; they were later pardoned following talks led by the interim authorities.