Dhaka, April 8 (NationPress) The Bangladesh Awami League has issued a strong denunciation regarding the detention of Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, the former Speaker of Parliament, labeling the allegations against her as "baseless and fabricated".

Chaudhury, recognized as the nation’s first female Speaker, was apprehended by police at her residence in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi during the early hours of Tuesday.

According to reports from the daily Dhaka Tribune, a case has been registered against Chaudhury in relation to the tragic shooting of gold worker Muslim Uddin in Rangpur amid protests in July 2024.

The Awami League has voiced serious concerns regarding the "physical and mental abuse" that Chaudhury reportedly suffered during her arrest. The party stated, "Such inhumane treatment towards a qualified, dignified, and compassionate female politician contradicts democratic values and the rule of law, representing a severe violation of human rights."

They further emphasized, "This type of conduct towards someone who held a constitutional role and significantly contributed to the integrity of the nation’s democratic frameworks is not only disgraceful but serves as a regrettable precedent."

Claiming that such "false cases and acts of repression" are motivated by "political vendetta," the Awami League asserted that these actions threaten the nation’s democratic landscape, infringe upon justice principles, and reflect a "heinous misuse of legal authority".

The party has called for Chaudhury's immediate and unconditional release, demanding the withdrawal of all "false and harassing" cases against other national figures and ordinary citizens, along with the release of all political detainees.

"There is no alternative to this if Bangladesh aims to evolve into a just and democratic state," they underscored.

Last month, the Awami League expressed profound concern over what they termed as ongoing mass detentions and custodial fatalities involving political leaders and activists throughout the nation, asserting that these actions undermine fundamental rights and the rule of law.

The party accused the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government of emulating the repressive tactics of the previous Yunus-led interim government, utilizing state resources to enact "repression, torture, and suppression" aimed at silencing opposition and seeking political revenge.

"Continued mass arrests of political leaders and activists, alongside deaths in custody, are rampant. The persistent arrests, indiscriminate remand orders, and reports of custodial losses are generating distress and outrage across the nation," stated the Awami League.