Dhaka, Oct 31 (NationPress) A prominent global human rights organization has revealed disturbing trends of violence, intimidation, and systematic oppression targeting lawyers in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

In its detailed report, titled “Suppression of Legal Independence in Bangladesh under the Interim Regime,” Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has compiled one of the most thorough accounts of state-sponsored attacks on the legal profession in Bangladesh’s history, following the downfall of the Awami League government headed by Sheikh Hasina.

The report outlines 268 confirmed incidents that impacted 849 lawyers between August 2024 and September 2025, revealing a concerted effort to undermine pro-Awami League attorneys, stifle political opposition, and dominate the judicial system.

Findings indicate that 88% of the incidents and 93% of the victims were lawyers aligned with or perceived to support the Awami League, with political beliefs identified as the primary motive in 187 incidents affecting 730 victims.

“200 incidents (721 victims) involved trumped-up or politically motivated charges, including murder, attempted murder, sabotage, vandalism, and sedition. Authorities often used Section 54 of the CrPC, the Special Powers Act, and the Anti-Terrorism Act to rationalize arbitrary detentions and arrests,” the report emphasized, shedding light on the harassment faced by lawyers in Bangladesh.

“75 incidents (203 victims) involved incarceration, frequently following unwarranted arrests or coerced ‘voluntary surrenders.’ High-profile victims, such as Barrister Turin Afroz, suffered severe torture, cigarette burns, and gender-based humiliation while in custody,” the report further stated.

The JMBF also documented that lawyers affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami forcibly took control of 16 bar committees, including the Bangladesh Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association, displacing elected Awami League representatives. Furthermore, during 44 bar association elections, Awami League lawyers were barred from contesting due to intimidation and false accusations.

The organization reported that 46 judges and judicial officers faced persecution through arrests, forced resignations, or dismissals. Six justices from the Appellate Division, including a Chief Justice, were coerced to resign, while others faced baseless charges, indicating systematic interference in the judiciary.

The rights organization has called upon the United Nations, the European Union, the Commonwealth, and partner nations to denounce the assault on lawyers in Bangladesh and to demand adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and UN Basic Principles.

It has also urged for sanctions against officials responsible for severe abuses and for the observation of politically motivated trials through international monitoring missions.