Bangladesh's Interim Government Faces Criticism Over Restrictive Measures
The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, faces backlash from Human Rights Watch for policies that could undermine fundamental freedoms. Recent bans on the Awami League and legislation addressing enforced disappearances fail to meet international standards, raising concerns about the future of democracy and human rights in Bangladesh.
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Bangladesh's interim government, under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is facing stringent criticism from Human Rights Watch for recent legislative measures perceived to threaten fundamental freedoms. The organization specifically highlighted actions against supporters of the deposed leader, Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League.
On May 12, the government employed newly introduced powers under a severe amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act to temporarily ban the Awami League. This includes restrictions on meetings, publications, and online speech supporting the party. Human Rights Watch contends that the proposed legislation to tackle enforced disappearances inadequately meets international standards and neglects accountability for past crimes under the previous administration.
Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, emphasized that while the prior government of Sheikh Hasina wielded legal powers to stifle political dissidents, employing similar tactics against Awami League advocates would breach those same freedoms. Ganguly stressed the new government's need to advance justice and provide clarity for victims of enforced disappearances rather than repeating past mistakes.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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