Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), an international human rights organisation, on Monday, 14 September 2026, strongly condemned the sweeping crackdown by Bangladeshi authorities on Awami League leaders, activists, and supporters, warning that arbitrary mass arrests tied to peaceful political participation pose a grave threat to civil liberties, political pluralism, and the rule of law in Bangladesh.

Scale of the Crackdown

According to reports cited by JMBF, more than 200 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations have been arrested across Bangladesh over three days, including 72 in Dhaka's Gulshan area alone, in successive operations surrounding a peaceful procession. The rights body said the detentions were conducted without establishing each individual's specific role in any alleged offence.

What the Rights Body Said

JMBF stated that participation in — or preparation to participate in — peaceful processions has been formally characterised as 'terrorist and anti-state activity' by Bangladeshi authorities. The organisation rejected this characterisation categorically, asserting that attending a political meeting is not a crime and that political affiliation alone cannot constitute sufficient grounds for arrest.

'Even when a political organisation's activities are prohibited by executive order, its members and supporters retain their fundamental rights. Using political affiliation as a substitute for evidence of criminal conduct and carrying out indiscriminate arrests without establishing each individual's specific role are unacceptable. Vague allegations, political labels or formulaic accusations cannot absolve the authorities of responsibility for mass arrests,' JMBF stated.

The organisation further warned that 'imprisoning people for peaceful political participation and driving them out of public life through fear of arrest pave the way for a society governed by fear.'

Legal and Civil Liberties Concerns

JMBF stressed that invoking anti-terrorism legislation to suppress political opposition amounts to an abuse of state power. The body demanded that the government of Bangladesh publicly explain the specific grounds for each individual detention, including the alleged role of the accused and the basis on which the necessity of arrest was determined.

Critics argue that the use of broad terrorism statutes against political opponents — when their only documented act is attending a procession — sets a dangerous precedent for democratic backsliding in the South Asian nation.

International Community Called to Act

The rights organisation called on the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the European Union, and all international bodies to closely monitor the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh. It also urged the global community to apply effective diplomatic pressure on Dhaka to ensure that all citizens can exercise their political and civil rights equally, regardless of party affiliation.

With the Awami League already facing a difficult political environment following a period of executive restrictions, the coming days will test whether international pressure translates into tangible relief for those detained.