An international human rights organisation, Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), has strongly condemned the 'arbitrary arrest' of 49 activists belonging to the Chhatra League and Jubo League — the student and youth wings of the Awami League — including 17 children, in the Noakhali district of Bangladesh, solely for participating in a peaceful political rally. The arrests, which took place on 5 June and in the early hours of 6 June, have drawn sharp international condemnation over alleged violations of constitutional and international human rights guarantees.

How the Arrests Unfolded

According to JMBF, citing media reports and on-ground sources, a peaceful protest rally organised by the Chhatra League was held on the afternoon of 5 June in the Badharhat Market area of Noakhali Sadar Upazila. Hours later, 18 individuals — including 17 children — were reportedly detained in the Pouro Bazar area of Maijdee town by activists of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)'s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, who then handed them over to police.

Between the night of 5 June and early hours of 6 June, police conducted further operations across the Eojbalia, Kaladaraap, and Noakhali Municipality areas, detaining an additional 24 individuals — comprising 9 Jubo League activists and 15 Chhatra League activists.

Rights Violations Cited

JMBF stated that the arrests constitute a clear violation of rights to 'freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association as guaranteed by the Constitution of Bangladesh, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).' The organisation characterised the incident not as isolated, but as part of a broader, systematic pattern of political repression across Bangladesh.

Shahanur Islam, Founder and President of JMBF and a prominent human rights lawyer, said: 'Mass arrests for participation in political activities, without any clear allegations of violence, vandalism, or threats to public safety, are fundamentally incompatible with democratic values.'

Alarm Over Detention of Children

The detention of 17 children has drawn particular condemnation. Islam called it 'particularly alarming, inhumane, and condemnable,' noting that it violates the fundamental principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. He stressed that international law recognises the detention of children 'only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible period,' and warned that such detention could have serious consequences for the children's security, mental well-being, and future.

JMBF Demands and What Comes Next

JMBF has called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all 49 detainees, including the 17 children; withdraw all charges and cases filed against them; and launch an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the incident. The rights body linked the current crackdown to what it described as a continuing pattern under both the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus and the present government of Tarique Rahman, arguing that constitutional rights to expression and assembly 'continue to shrink.' Whether Bangladeshi authorities respond to international pressure will be closely watched in the coming days.