BNP Faced 150K Cases in 20 Years, Bangladesh Awami League Faces 100K+ in 20 Months
After the change of government on August 5, 2024, the Bangladesh Awami League claims that in just 20 months, more than one hundred thousand cases have been filed against its leaders and activists across the country. Although it could not provide exact statistics, the party described these cases as retaliatory and false. On the other hand, the police have termed this claim as “propaganda and unrealistic.”
According to data provided by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), from 2007 to January 11, 2025, a total of 142,983 cases were filed against its leaders and activists. BNP leaders claim that almost all of these cases filed during the Awami League government were “false and harassing.”
The Awami League alleges that around 10,000 of its leaders and activists are currently missing. However, many say they are in hiding.
According to Awami League–related sources, after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, numerous cases were filed against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and party leaders on charges of murder, crimes against humanity, corruption, and violence, which they claim are false and politically motivated. On the other hand, affected Awami League activists could not even file general diaries, let alone cases. They claim that hundreds of thousands of cases have been filed against hundreds of thousands of leaders and activists. It is also claimed that more than 650 cases have been filed against Sheikh Hasina alone. Thousands of activists have been victims of mob violence. In the ongoing situation, no Awami League member from an eight-year-old child to an eighty-year-old elderly person—has been spared from this repression.
According to data from the human rights organization Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), between August 5, 2024, and January 31, 2026, during 17 months of the interim government, at least 195 people were killed in 1,411 incidents of “political violence.” Among them, 26 were Awami League activists. Additionally, 156 criminals and miscreants were killed regardless of political identity, including 45 Awami League members. Cases have been filed in police stations in all these incidents.
Currently, the banned political party Awami League’s Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim is staying abroad. He claims that around 10,000 of their leaders and activists are missing, and between 2,000 to 2,500 have been killed.
He said, “Many have been victims of enforced disappearance. We are unable to collect information about many of them. Victims’ families did not have the courage to go to the police station to file complaints, let alone cases. That is why even the police do not have exact statistics.”
He further said, “Several hundred thousand cases have been filed. There are more than 650 cases against Sheikh Hasina alone. Over 450 are court cases. Numerous cases have been filed in the ICT tribunal. There are countless cases against hundreds of thousands of activists—over 500,000 cases have been filed. These false cases were filed to extort money in exchange for arrests. Accurate figures may emerge someday. During the Yunus government, victims had no courage, and journalists also had no opportunity to write. There was no freedom of speech. That situation still continues. One day it will be revealed how many were killed and how many cases were filed.”
Regarding the parliamentary approval of banning Awami League activities, he said, “This was done by the fascist Yunus government in a completely illegal and unconstitutional manner. This vengeful policy deprived a large section of people of their voting rights. Now this government is taking it a step further by giving a legal cover to illegal actions. Under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, Awami League will build public opinion against any injustice and resist unconstitutional and undemocratic actions through mass movements.”
Central committee member of Bangladesh Awami Swechchhasebak League Sheikh Jamal Hossain said, “More than 10,000 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami League from union, upazila, district, metropolitan to central levels are currently missing. Among them, the bodies of around 2,500 have been recovered. Families have not yet been able to find the rest.”
He also claimed that more than 400,000 leaders and activists from grassroots to central levels have been imprisoned. Among them, around 150,000 have been released on bail, while the rest remain in prison in inhumane conditions.
It is noteworthy that on April 1, in response to a question from Member of Parliament Md Abdul Mannan, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman stated that the government does not officially maintain statistics on how many false or harassing cases are filed against political party leaders and activists. There is also no specific data on how many cases were filed against BNP leaders and activists. However, from 2007 to January 11, 2025, 142,983 cases were filed against BNP leaders and activists. Among these, 23,865 cases have been withdrawn. Efforts are ongoing to withdraw the remaining cases, and a six-member committee was formed on March 8 for this purpose.
Additional IGP (Crime and Operations) Khandaker Rafiqul Islam said that some cases have been filed against Awami League leaders and activists for alleged attacks, torture, and killings against civilians under the name of “helmet forces” during the 2024 mass movement and other times. However, he stated that claims of hundreds of thousands of cases are unrealistic and completely baseless.
