Bangladesh’s 2018 polls were ‘not considered free or fair’: US

Reported irregularities, including ballot stuffing and intimidation of opposition activists and voters marred the election, the US says in human rights report

Bangladesh’s 2018 parliamentary election, where Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League won a third consecutive term, was neither free nor fair, according to a US government report on the state of human rights in the country.

“This election was not considered free and fair by observers due to reported irregularities, including ballot box stuffing and intimidation of opposition polling agents and voters,” a report by the US State Department covering incidents up to 2022 said.

“During the campaign leading to the election, there were many credible reports of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and violence that made it difficult for many opposition candidates and their supporters to meet, hold rallies, or campaign freely.”

The Awami League also used law enforcement to bring cases and charges against opposition leaders, the report said.

“The BNP claimed police implicated thousands of BNP members in criminal charges related to political demonstrations during the year and detained many of the accused. Human rights observers claimed many of these charges were politically motivated.”

The Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling party’s student wing, also came under scrutiny.

“[They] reportedly carried out violence and intimidation around the country with impunity, including against individuals affiliated with opposition groups.”

The country’s security forces also committed numerous abuses, the report said. Widespread reporting also suggests that security force abuse and corruption receives widespread impunity, the report said.

The government took few measures to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials or security force members who committed human rights abuses or engaged in corruption.

In its executive summary, the US highlighted what it considered significant rights issues, including ‘credible reports’ of unlawful or arbitrary extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, arbitrary arrests or detentions, political prisoners or detainees, serious problems with the independence of the judiciary, serious restrictions on free expression and media, and serious restrictions on internet freedom.

The US noted that the Bangladesh government did not release official statistics on total killings by security personnel, nor did it take transparent measures to investigate cases.

“Human rights groups expressed scepticism regarding the independence and professional standards of the units conducting these assessments and claimed citizens were being deprived of justice,” it said.

Peter Haas, the US ambassador to Dhaka, made a statement regarding the report.

“Respecting the rights of individuals helps build a more secure, stable and prosperous world,” he said. “Our identity as a nation boils down to protecting fundamental freedoms."

“The United States regularly raises human rights issues with the Bangladesh government in a spirit of honour, respect and partnership. We will continue this trend in the future as well.”

The annual US report on the state of human rights across the globe is prepared in line with the UN treaties on rights and gives an overview of human rights and labour rights in 198 countries and regions worldwide.

The US has published this report for the past five decades. The report has no legal repercussions, nor does it rank or compare countries based on their human rights situation.