Paris, April 18 (NationPress) An influential global human rights organization has expressed strong disapproval regarding the recent trend of irregularities and biased treatment faced by legal practitioners in Bangladesh, particularly the disqualification of candidates from the Awami League faction in bar association elections based solely on their political beliefs.

Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has accused authorities of hindering these lawyers' electoral participation, highlighting instances of police involvement in bar association elections across various districts, such as Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Narail, and Sunamganj, under the governance of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

In a statement of grave concern, the rights organization demanded the establishment of a climate where lawyers of all ideologies can freely exercise their democratic rights. They called for rigorous investigations, meeting international standards, into each case under the direct oversight of the United Nations Human Rights Council, emphasizing that these occurrences breach the Constitution of Bangladesh and the fundamental human rights upheld by the UN.

The JMBF described these events as part of a broader, systematic effort to politically exclude certain segments of the legal community, undermining the fundamental character of bar associations as independent entities and threatening public trust in the justice system.

According to the rights organization, such actions are utterly unacceptable within the framework of the nation’s laws and the core principles of justice.

“A bar association, as a self-regulating professional entity, should operate on the principles of neutrality, transparency, and equal rights. Currently, however, candidates are being deemed ineligible without fair hearings, objective investigations, or the chance to defend their positions, which is a blatant violation of natural justice and due process principles. Furthermore, any form of interference by governmental or law enforcement bodies constitutes an abuse of authority and significantly undermines the rule of law,” stated the JMBF.

The organization raised concerns regarding the use of “politically charged and ambiguous language” to impose repressive actions against lawyers, cautioning that electoral bodies are compromising their neutrality. They pointed out that many elections are being conducted unopposed, effectively reducing the democratic process to a mere “farce.”

If these patterns persist, the JMBF warned, “the independence of the legal profession and the impartiality of the justice system will be gravely threatened.”

They urged the United Nations, international human rights organizations, bar councils, and global entities advocating for the rule of law to pay attention to the dire circumstances within Bangladesh’s bar associations and take necessary actions.