A Paris-based international human rights organisation raised serious alarm over escalating human rights abuses in Bangladesh during a high-level meeting at the European Commission office in Brussels on 17 October 2026. The delegation from Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) urged the European Union to take concrete action on a deteriorating rights situation that has reportedly worsened since August 2024.

What the Delegation Presented

A five-member JMBF delegation, led by founder Shahanur Islam, met Fausto Matos, a Cabinet Member in the office of European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen. The group submitted a comprehensive briefing note titled 'Human Rights Concerns in Bangladesh Since the Change of Government in August 2024,' documenting alleged violations recorded between August 2024 and October 2026.

The delegation also tabled six thematic reports covering alleged extrajudicial killings, custodial deaths, threats to the independence of the legal profession, violence against garment workers, intimidation of lawyers, and what JMBF described as a government-driven media blackout targeting its human rights reporting inside Bangladesh.

Key Allegations Raised

Among the most serious concerns flagged were 23 death sentences imposed by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunals against 22 distinct individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and several other Awami League leaders, in connection with the July–August 2024 uprising. JMBF founder Shahanur Islam questioned the 'independence and impartiality of the tribunals, particularly the imposition of death sentences following trials conducted in absentia, allegations of politically motivated prosecutions, and inadequate safeguards to ensure compliance with internationally recognised standards of due process and fair trial.'

The delegation further warned that 'politically motivated arrests, intimidation and prolonged detention of lawyers threaten the independence of the legal profession, undermine access to justice and weaken the rule of law.'

Broader Rights Concerns Documented

Beyond the tribunal proceedings, the delegation drew attention to the ban on the Awami League, widespread political persecution, arbitrary arrests, mob violence, and restrictions on democratic freedoms since the change of government. It also flagged a surge in attacks on journalists, human rights defenders, teachers, students and workers, as well as sexual violence against children, violence against women and girls, and persecution of religious and ethnic minorities and LGBTQI+ individuals across Bangladesh.

Notably, the briefing highlighted increasing threats against vulnerable and marginalised communities and documented what it described as systematic intimidation of legal professionals under the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

What JMBF Is Asking the EU to Do

The organisation urged the EU to press for the lifting of the ban on the Awami League, an end to political persecution, and concrete measures to protect fundamental freedoms. It also called on Brussels to hold Bangladeshi authorities accountable and to integrate measurable human rights commitments into its diplomatic, trade and development engagement with Bangladesh.

This engagement comes amid growing international scrutiny of Bangladesh's post-uprising governance, with multiple rights bodies and diaspora groups stepping up lobbying efforts at multilateral forums. The EU's response to the briefing, and whether it escalates the matter through formal diplomatic channels, will be closely watched by rights advocates and the Bangladeshi political diaspora in the months ahead.