Bangladesh’s Awami League has expressed alarm over the increasing number of deaths in jails and police custody under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. The party highlighted a troubling trend where individuals are being arrested alive but returned deceased, with unclear official explanations and little accountability. This situation has transformed detention into a source of fear rather than protection, revealing a significant failure in the state’s responsibility to safeguard those under its custody.
The Awami League emphasized that the rise in deaths is not merely a human rights issue but a discernible pattern, with its own members frequently becoming victims. Many detainees, particularly those involved in politically sensitive cases, have reportedly been held for prolonged periods without adequate medical attention. Their deaths are often attributed to illness or suicide, indicating a systemic lack of oversight and care within custodial settings.
Accusing the Yunus government of reneging on its promises of reform and transparency, the Awami League criticized the administration for perpetuating a culture of silence and denial surrounding custodial deaths. Despite pledges to bring about positive change, the government’s inaction and failure to address these fatalities have normalized the occurrence of such tragedies. The party underscored that the current situation reflects a deliberate political choice to ignore accountability and uphold a climate where abuse goes unchecked.
According to the Awami League, recent statistics reveal a concerning trend, with 119 individuals reportedly dying in prison custody and 21 in police custody during Yunus’s tenure. Additionally, 26 people lost their lives in extrajudicial incidents, while 106 fatalities were linked to political violence. These figures collectively indicate a significant breakdown in the management of detention facilities and public safety by Bangladeshi authorities.
The party stressed that these deaths cannot be dismissed as mere administrative errors or isolated incidents but rather as outcomes of deliberate political decisions. By failing to take decisive action, conduct thorough investigations, or implement necessary reforms, the Yunus government has effectively condoned the normalization of custodial deaths, eroding public trust in the rule of law and the protection of detainees.
