HRW warns Bangladesh over rising mob attacks, demands free and participatory elections
Human Rights Watch said on Saturday that Bangladeshi authorities must urgently take action to curb the growing wave of mob attacks that have spread across the country since the Hasina government was removed from power last August. The rights organization also urged the authorities to ensure conditions for free, fair, and inclusive elections scheduled for February.
“The attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star represent a serious and disturbing assault on freedom of expression,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Ganguly warned that incitement to violence by certain political actors—particularly through social media—is creating an increasingly dangerous environment for journalists, political and social activists, as well as artists and cultural figures.
According to the New York–based rights group, the recent attacks followed the killing of election candidate Sharif Osman Hadi, who rose to national attention during the 2024 student movement that toppled the country’s former authoritarian government.
Human Rights Watch noted that Bangladesh is currently undergoing a difficult transition as it seeks to restore democracy and respect for human rights after years of autocratic rule under Sheikh Hasina.
Although the interim government has announced that national elections will be held on February 12, 2026, ongoing political violence and persistent failures to uphold the rule of law pose serious threats to civic space and increase the risk of further human rights violations.
“The assassination of youth leader Osman Hadi was a horrific crime,” Ganguly said.
