At least 16 international human rights organizations, bar associations, and law societies have strongly criticized the obstruction and intimidation faced by lawyers supporting the Awami League or running as independent candidates in bar association elections across Bangladesh. These actions, deemed politically motivated, have been ongoing since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government, led by Tarique Rahman, took office. The organizations expressed serious concerns over the formation of a 15-member ad hoc committee exclusively comprising pro-BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami-backed lawyers to oversee the Bangladesh Bar Council from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
The decision to establish this committee has been denounced as a violation of democratic principles governing professional bodies, undermining the independence and representativeness of the legal profession in Bangladesh. The move perpetuates undemocratic practices seen under previous interim governments, according to a joint statement by the organizations. They view these actions as a systematic attack on the legal profession’s independence, the rule of law, freedom of association, and the constitutional principles essential for a democratic society, rather than mere administrative issues or political disagreements.
Media reports and findings by Justice Makers Bangladesh in France have revealed that over 300 lawyers have been barred from contesting elections in 23 bar associations across Bangladesh, including prominent ones like the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association and those in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rajshahi. The organizations are calling on the Bangladeshi government, the legal community, and the international community to reverse the decision forming the ad hoc committee of the Bangladesh Bar Council. They demand the annulment of committees elected through flawed processes and the restoration of unlawfully canceled candidatures to ensure equal access for all eligible lawyers in bar association elections.
The organizations emphasize that the independence of the legal profession is crucial for democracy, the rule of law, and human rights protection. They warn that any attempts to silence, intimidate, exclude, or politically discriminate against lawyers not only jeopardize individual practitioners’ rights and safety but also undermine the justice system’s integrity, impartiality, and credibility.
