Since coming to power through a military-backed coup, the number of extrajudicial killings and deaths in custody has not decreased under the illegal government led by Muhammad Yunus. Instead, it has increased. The government that claimed to stand for democracy and human rights has put citizens’ lives at even greater risk.
Data from Ain o Salish Kendra reveals a grim truth. In the first eleven months of this year, 29 people have died in extrajudicial killings or from torture in custody. Last year, in the same period, the number was only 20. The situation in prisons looks even worse. This year, 83 inmates have died, compared to 65 last year. The numbers leave no doubt that the so-called reformist government has made things worse, not better.
The death of Hazrat Ali in Brahmanbaria exposes the character of this new system. He was arrested by the joint forces on 6 December. The next day, his mutilated body was returned to his family. The officer-in-charge couldn’t give any explanation. No investigation followed. No one was held accountable. The local superintendent of police said he had heard about it but didn’t look into it. This indifference makes it clear that the Yunus government has no interest in real change.
In another case, a young man named Abdullah died after being beaten by a mob on suspicion of theft and then tortured in police custody. A sub-inspector has been arrested, but this is no isolated event. It’s a symptom of a failing system. No steps have been taken in the past five months to reform the structures needed to stop torture in custody.
Expecting this government to protect human rights may be wishful thinking. It helped orchestrate violent riots in July 2024 with foreign funding and support from Islamist militant groups to topple an elected government. A regime that came to power with direct backing from the military is now revealing its true nature. The same people who overthrew a government in the name of democracy and the rule of law are now giving impunity to the security forces.
Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton has rightly pointed out that those accused remain in power and no one has been held accountable. His words carry weight as a member of the commission investigating enforced disappearances. He has warned that the culture of abuse will continue unless action is taken. But the question is simple: why would a government that seized power illegally care about establishing the rule of law?
The failures of the Yunus government are not accidental. They are deliberate. Stopping extrajudicial killings requires major reforms of the security forces, independent investigation mechanisms and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators. But how can a government dependent on military support reform the very forces that keep it in power? That’s the core contradiction.
Lack of transparency in arrest procedures is making things worse. Dhaka University professor Touhidul Haque is correct in saying that there is no system for notifying families after an arrest or ensuring the well-being of detainees. The government’s refusal to implement even these basic reforms shows where its priorities lie.
The rising number of prison deaths is also alarming. According to the prison authorities, 90 inmates have died in the past eleven months. What caused these deaths? Lack of medical care, torture or inhumane prison conditions? The Yunus government has made no effort to find the answers.
The most dangerous part is that this government has no electoral mandate. It has no obligation to answer to the people. Why would a government led by a man enriched through exploitative microcredit practices, backed by foreign interests and domestic military power, care about the value of ordinary lives?
Five months have passed, yet no reforms are visible. Instead, the data shows that the situation has deteriorated. This is no surprise. A government that came to power by violating the constitution cannot be expected to uphold the rule of law. The so-called interim government under Yunus has made it clear that its real priorities are consolidating power and serving the interests of its sponsors.
To stop extrajudicial killings and deaths in custody, the country needs a legitimate, elected and accountable government. Only a government whose authority comes from the people’s vote can carry out these reforms. A government born out of a military coup cannot do it, because its survival depends on the very security forces carrying out these killings.
