A human rights organization strongly criticized a directive from Bangladesh’s Rajshahi Range Police Deputy Inspector General, Mohammad Shahjahan, ordering the re-arrest of Awami League leaders and activists even after they obtain bail. Justice Makers Bangladesh in France expressed alarm over the directive, which instructs police to detain Awami League members in other cases post-release, undermining judicial decisions and abusing administrative power.
The rights body emphasized that re-arresting individuals after they have been granted bail by a court undermines judicial authority, violates human rights, and disrupts the rule of law. Such actions, it stated, violate the principles of the Bangladeshi Constitution, including personal liberty, legal protection, and access to justice, and erode the separation of powers and judicial independence.
According to the Justice Makers Bangladesh in France, the directive risks weakening the country’s legal framework and turning it into a tool for political retaliation. The organization highlighted concerns over the government’s utilization of state machinery for political purposes, posing a direct threat to democracy and the rule of law in Bangladesh.
The human rights group called for the immediate withdrawal of the directive, an end to arrests based on political affiliations, and the safeguarding of judicial independence. It also urged the establishment of an independent investigation commission and active oversight by international human rights organizations.
