Barrister Solaiman Tushar

Towhidul Islam (42), convener of the Panchthuri union Jubo Dal in Comilla Sadar Upazila, has died after allegedly being tortured in military custody on 31 January 2025. He was allegedly picked up from his home by the joint forces on early Friday and later died at Comilla Medical College Hospital. Family members have claimed that he was tortured to death, as physicians found torture marks on his body (Dhaka Tribune, 01st February 2025). No warrant was presented as he was taken away, leaving his wife and children frozen in fear, relatives said.

Hours later, his body was found in a hospital, bearing signs of severe torture, including swollen limbs, deep bruises, and broken bones. The Bangladesh Army has since removed a local camp commander and announced an investigation. The BNP has called the incident a "targeted political killing", accusing the government of using security forces to suppress opposition voices ahead of the country's next election. On the same day, 31 January, three workers of Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir were injured in an attack by the banned Chhatra League in Indurkani Upazila of Pirojpur (Daily Prothom Alo, 01st February 2025).

Mymensingh Metropolitan Jubo Dal Joint General Secretary Saidul Islam (40) died on 17 September 2024 due to torture by security forces. On 16 September 2024, the joint forces arrested him from his chamber. There were injury marks on his body from the waist to the lower part of his body (daily Prothom Alo, 17 September 2024).

Upazila Jamaat secretary Abdullah Hill Kafi was killed in an attack by miscreants in Naogaon's Sapahar, on 30 August 2024. He died while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College (Ramek) Hospital on 31 August 2024 (RTV News, 31 August 2024).

A Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal leader Shawkat Ali Didar (40) was killed and 50 others were injured in an attack allegedly by Awami League men in Gopalganj town on 13 September 2024 (The Daily Star, 14 September 2024).

Although Sheikh Hasina fled to India on 05 August 2024 in an unprecedented student uprising, the administration, the police, the army, and the judiciary, the main aides of her long autocracy, remain intact.

During Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule, party people have been appointed in all sectors of the state. The officers appointed by Sheikh Hasina are currently in important positions in the state. Although Sheikh Hasina has fallen, her appointed officers are still in various positions. The officers appointed by Sheikh Hasina are running the Judiciary, Police, and Civil Service. The current interim government is seeking to make adjustments through transfers and dismissals in some cases. However, the process is very complicated because it is not possible for the current government to manage the state by transferring or dismissing all the officers engaged by Sheikh Hasina.

The current situation in Bangladesh is very unrest. The senior officers of the administration are still helping the Awami League. Even though, several cases were filed against the Awami League, Chhatra League leaders, and activists in connection with genocide, and crimes against humanity committed during the quota reform movement in July-August 2024, security forces are not working fairly to arrest them. Even the judiciary is still acting in favour of the Awami League. In the Capital, Dhaka alone, 572 Awami League and its allies arrested for genocide and other crimes have been released on bail as of 26 January 2025 (daily Jugantor, 01st February 2025). Most of those released on bail were arrested for non-bailable crimes.

Former Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury walked out of jail on 08 October 2024, hours after being granted bail in six cases. Later, police released the Awami League leader from the lockup of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court (CMM) of Dhaka around 6:30 pm on 08 October 2024. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ziadur Rahman granted bail to Saber, ex-environment, forest, and climate change minister and former Awami League lawmaker from Dhaka-9, in two cases filed with Paltan Model Police Station, including one filed over the death of BNP activist Mokbul on 07 December 2022. Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mehedi Hasan granted his bail in four cases filed with Khilgaon Police Station, including those filed over the killing of Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal leader Hasan Mahmud on July 31 this year, and the custodial death of former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader Nuruzzaman Jonny in January 2015 (The Daily Star, 09 October 2024). On 09 October 2024, a Sunamganj court granted bail to former planning minister MA Mannan in a case filed over attacks on protesters in the district during the student-led mass uprising (The Daily Star, 10 October 2025). The cases in which the two former Ministers of the Awami League government have been granted bail are non-bailable offenses. They got bail even after there was a murder case against them. On the other hand, Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the Daily Amar Desh, was not granted bail in a relatively weak case. As a result, the question of whether the judiciary is working on behalf of the Awami League leaders and activists has naturally arisen. A kind of panic has spread among the leaders and workers of BNP and Jamaat regarding this issue.

Law and order forces are not arresting most of the Awami League activists despite the cases. On the other hand, BNP-Jamaat activists are being arrested and even killed extra judicially. BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists are now being tortured by members of the law-enforcement forces on one side, and on the other hand, Awami League, and Chhatra League leaders and activists are being organized and attacked. Sheikh Hasina is directing this attack.

Now a question naturally arises: are the leaders and activists of BNP-Jamaat activists being victims of targeted killings? Otherwise, why would they be victims of murders at the hands of law enforcement?

The writer is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and a researcher in international law.