Bangladesh’s interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus came to power promising democracy and reform. Instead, it is repeating the same repressive tactics that defined the rule it replaced. Thousands have been detained under the country’s amended Anti-Terrorism Act, including journalists, academics and elderly activists. Sixteen people were arrested in August after attending a peaceful discussion on Bangladesh’s 1971 independence, charged as terrorists while their attackers walked free.
The government says the law targets abusers of the former Awami League regime, but its use against critics and intellectuals tells a different story. Reports of mistreatment and denial of medical care for detainees are growing.
Yunus must act now. He should order the release of those jailed for peaceful expression, end the misuse of anti-terror laws and hold accountable those responsible for political arrests. As Human Rights Watch’s Meenakshi Ganguly said, the interim government should not repeat the partisan behavior that Bangladeshis endured under Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. Repression cannot lead to stability or democracy. Yunus must prove that his leadership will mark a break from fear, not its continuation.