Bangladesh’s interim rule draws criticism over arrests and silencing of opposition

Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in arrests and a tightening clampdown on dissent since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August, raising fears that the country’s interim administration is veering away from its promise of a swift democratic transition.

The caretaker government, led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, had initially pledged an early return to democratic rule. However, no election schedule has been announced, and rights groups say that the authorities are instead focusing on surveillance and suppression.

A commentary published by Eurasia Review warned that “the promise of democratic restoration has been replaced by a campaign of surveillance, suppression, and silence”.

Recent weeks have seen protesters, political workers, academics, and even journalists detained. In Tejgaon, nine people were arrested after chanting slogans in support of Hasina during a spontaneous procession. Police described the act as “sabotage”.

The crackdown has also targeted symbolic gestures. Mahila Awami League leader Nahida Noor Sweety was detained for discreetly joining a post-prayer rally and accused of financing protests.

Former government figures and intellectuals, including Liberation War veteran Abu Alam Shahid Khan, law professor Hafizur Rahman Curzon, and journalist Manjurul Alam Panna, have also been taken into custody.

Student leaders Sheikh Ibne Sadiq and Amir Hamza have been jailed for their alleged links to banned groups. Commentators say such arrests are aimed at weakening the organisational structures of opposition politics rather than protecting public safety.

Authorities have further used violent incidents to justify mass detentions. Following clashes in Chittagong’s Saltgola Crossing that left a police officer injured, 19 people were arrested and dozens more charged. Observers claim that many of those detained had no connection to the violence.

The sweeping arrests have created what analysts describe as a pervasive climate of fear, with citizens hesitant to speak openly or engage in political activity. Self-censorship has become widespread, with silence often mistaken for stability.

Eurasia Review cautioned that Bangladesh is not only silencing dissent but “redrawing the boundaries of legitimacy itself”. The piece concluded that only a free, fair, and inclusive election can restore confidence in democratic governance, warning that without it the nation risks sliding deeper into authoritarianism.

With IANS Inputs