A ‘festival’ of extrajudicial killings and custodial deaths in Bangladesh under the interim government

On International Human Rights Day, Bangladesh’s human rights situation has once again come under severe criticism. According to human rights activists, during the 16 months of responsibility under the interim government, there has not been any visible improvement in the human rights situation in Bangladesh; in some cases, it has even deteriorated further.

According to human rights organizations and experts, the long-standing culture of impunity is the main reason behind these deaths. Despite serious allegations against law enforcement agencies, the lack of accountability has made the situation even more dire.

In December last year, after being detained in Bancharampur of Brahmanbaria, the mutilated body of expatriate Hazrat Ali was returned to his family. The officer-in-charge of the local police station could not provide any explanation. He only mentioned a joint forces operation. Again, in September, Abdullah, who was detained in the Chhalimganj Union of the same district, died within five days after being tortured in police custody. Although a sub-inspector was arrested in connection with the incident, the family and human rights activists are demanding a full investigation.

The Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) reports that from January to November 2025, at least 29 citizens died due to extrajudicial killings and torture in custody. During the same period, 95 people died in prisons—64 of them detainees and 31 convicts. The numbers were also alarming in previous years: 65 in 2024, 106 in 2023, and 65 in 2022.

However, the Department of Prisons denies these allegations, saying that most deaths were due to ‘illness.’ The Police Headquarters also claims that incidents of mob violence or suicide are sometimes included by human rights organizations in the list of deaths in custody.

Human rights activists reject these explanations, saying that without proper independent investigations, the truth cannot be uncovered. Nur Khan Liton, a member of the Commission for Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, said, “The accused are still active within and outside positions of power. Without accountability, this culture will continue.”

Dr. Touhidul Haque, Associate Professor at the University of Dhaka, believes that transparency in arrests must be increased—“It should be made mandatory to inform the family of the detainee’s location and condition. This will reduce torture and abuse.”

Human rights organizations say that not political change, but structural reform can stop the culture of extrajudicial killings and deaths in custody.