JMBF Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Violations in Bangladesh During Meeting with French Foreign Ministry

"Please read the French and Bengali versions below"

Paris, France | April 30, 2025 — ​JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a Paris-based human rights organization, has expressed serious concerns over the escalating human rights crisis in Bangladesh during a bilateral meeting with the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.​

On April 29, 2025, Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder-President of JMBF, met in Paris with Madame Marjorie Verley, Deputy Head of the South Asia Division and Head of the Bangladesh Desk at the French Foreign Ministry. The meeting focused on what JMBF described as a pattern of "widespread and systematic repression" under the country's interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.​

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Dismissal of Journalists in Bangladesh for Questioning Cultural Affairs Adviser: Calls for Immediate Reinstatement and Protection of Press Freedom

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Paris, France | April 30, 2025 — France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemns the arbitrary dismissal of three journalists—Mizanur Rahman (Deepto TV), Fazle Rabbi(ATN Bangla), and Rafiqul Bashar (Channel i)—following their professional conduct in questioning Bangladesh’s Cultural Affairs Adviser, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, during a press conference held on April 28, 2025.

The subsequent suspension of news broadcasts by Deepto TV and punitive actions taken by three major television networks, apparently under pressure from online threats issued by a group identifying as the July Revolutionary Alliance (JRA), represents a grave attack on press freedom, democratic accountability, and the fundamental human rights guaranteed under Bangladesh’s Constitution and international law.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Attack on Former Law Minister and Senior Advocate Anisul Huq at Narayanganj Court

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Paris, France; April 29, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its strongest condemnation and deepest outrage over the reprehensible assault on former Law Minister and senior lawyer Advocate Anisul Huq at the entrance of the Narayanganj court premises on April 28, 2025.

JMBF asserts that this shameful and violent act — carried out in broad daylight by a section of lawyers, individuals who are themselves, officers of the court — is an attack not only on Advocate Anisul Huq personally but also on the very principles of justice, rule of law, and judicial independence that underpin a democratic society. The courtroom and its surroundings are sacred spaces for the administration of justice, where violence and intimidation must have no place under any circumstances.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Gravely Concerned About the Arbitrary Arrest of Senior Lawyer Advocate M.M. Mujibur Rahman in Khulna

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Paris, France; April 28, 2025 – The France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemns and expresses grave concern over the recent arbitrary arrest of Advocate M.M. Mujibur Rahman, former president and general secretary, and senior lawyer of the Khulna District Bar Association, on April 22, 2025, under the draconian Special Powers Act, 1974.

JMBF asserts that the arrest of Advocate M.M. Mujibur Rahman represents a serious and flagrant abuse of power by the authorities of Bangladesh. This action is not only unjust but also a direct attack on the core principles of justice, freedom, and democracy. Such acts of arbitrary detention violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under both the Constitution of Bangladesh and international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges.

JMBF Files Urgent Formal Complaint to UN Over Detention and Torture of Barrister Turin Afroz

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Paris, April 27, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has formally submitted a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures, urging immediate intervention in the case of Barrister Turin Afroz, who they say has been subjected to grave human rights violations in Bangladesh.

In their submission, sent on April 26, 2025, JMBF addressed three UN Special Rapporteurs — on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges, on Torture, and on Arbitrary Arrest — detailing allegations of arbitrary arrest, custodial torture, and denial of the right to a fair trial.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Gravely Concerns About the Custodial Torture of Barrister Turin Afroz During Police Remand

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Paris, France | April 27, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its gravest concern and unequivocal condemnation regarding the brutal custodial torture of Barrister Turin Afroz during her police remand at Uttara West Police Station between April 8 and 12, 2025.

According to credible reports from reliable sources and multiple leading newspapers in Bangladesh, Barrister Turin Afroz — a distinguished advocate and former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) — was subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse while in police custody. Two uniformed female police officers, alongside a male and a female individual in civilian clothes, allegedly perpetrated acts of violence against her. She was viciously beaten with lathis (batons) on her thighs and legs, kicked, slapped, punched, and subjected to repeated physical assaults on the back parts of her body.

JMBF Holds Bilateral Meeting with French MP Pouria Amirshahi to Address Human Rights Concerns in Bangladesh

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Paris, April 25, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) held a bilateral meeting today at 3:00 PM in Paris with Mr. Pouria Amirshahi, Member of the French National Assembly and President of the France-Bangladesh Friendship Group. The meeting focused on growing concerns regarding human rights violations and democratic backsliding in Bangladesh under the current interim government.

JMBF was represented by its Founder and President, prominent Bangladeshi human rights lawyer Advocate Shahanur Islam, and Chief Adviser Robert Simon, a renowned French human rights activist.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Condemns the Arrest of Lady Biker Esha: A Disturbing Act of Homophobic Injustice

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Paris, France | March 25, 2025:  France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deepest concern and strongest condemnation regarding the recent arrest and imprisonment of Irin Jahan Esha Sheikh, widely known as the “Lady Biker,” in Khulna, Bangladesh.

It has become increasingly evident that Esha was not detained based on any credible evidence of criminal activity, but was instead targeted because of her identity as a lesbian and her consensual romantic relationship with another woman. This case represents yet another tragic instance of the criminalization of same-sex relationships and the systematic persecution of sexual minorities in Bangladesh.

JMBF Holds Key Meetings with Amnesty International France and ARDHIS in Paris

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Paris, April 24, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) held two bilateral meetings in Paris on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) with Amnesty International France and the Association for the Recognition of the Rights of Homosexual and Trans Persons to Immigration and Residence (ARDHIS). The discussions focused on the deteriorating state of LGBTQI+ rights in Bangladesh and potential avenues for international collaboration.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns RAB’s Extrajudicial Killing of Siam Molla in Barishal

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Paris, France; April 22, 2025: France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and outrage over the brutal killing of Siam Molla, a young man from Barisal, and the critical injury of Rakib Molla, a Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinee, during an alleged anti-drug operation carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on the evening of Monday, April 21, in the Ratnapur area of Agoiljhara upazila, Barishal.

BANGLADESH: JMBF Strongly Condemns Arbitrary Detention of Environmental Activist and Model Meghna Alam Under Draconian Law

Paris, France | April 13, 2025 — France-based human rights watchdog JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and preventive detention of environmental activist, model, and Chairperson of the Miss Bangladesh Foundation, Meghna Alam, under the Special Powers Act of 1974—a controversial law long criticized for suppressing dissent.

Meghna Alam, also crowned Miss Earth Bangladesh 2020, was detained from her residence in Dhaka on April 9, 2025, and transferred to Kashimpur Jail following a closed-door court hearing on April 10. Her 30-day preventive detention was ordered under the Special Powers Act, based on vague allegations that she was spreading misinformation and threatening diplomatic relations.

Press and Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Obstruction of Democratic Participation in Chattogram Bar Election Under the Present Interim Government

Paris, France; April 12, 2025 — France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses grave concern and unequivocal condemnation over the blatant obstruction of democratic rights witnessed in the 2025 Chattogram District Bar Association election. On April 10, lawyers aligned with the Awami League and other left-leaning parties were deliberately barred from collecting nomination forms by a group of BNP-Jamaat affiliated lawyers, effectively disenfranchising all opposition candidates. The resulting uncontested election of BNP-Jamaat candidates for all 21 posts stands as a clear violation of constitutional, legal, and human rights standards.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Torture, Arrest, and Unjust Layoffs of Garment Workers in Rupganj, Bangladesh

Paris, France; April 11, 2025: The France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemns the brutal baton charge and unlawful arrest of garment workers in Rupganj on April 9, 2025, during a peaceful demonstration by law enforcement agencies. The incident, which resulted in the injury of at least 35 workers and the arrest of 10 workers, highlights a disturbing pattern of abuse of power and disregard for basic human rights. Furthermore, the unjustified layoffs of workers without prior notice are an affront to workers' rights and the principles of justice and fairness guaranteed under both national and international law.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Arrest and Torture of Female Barrister Turin Afroz Solely for Her Role as a Prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal.

Paris, France | April 10, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its strongest condemnation and protest against the arbitrary arrest and inhumane treatment of Barrister Turin Afroz, former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, who was detained from her residence in Dhaka on the night of April 7, 2025, and subjected to gross physical assault by unidentified perpetrators in August 2024.

JMBF asserts that these actions represent a direct attack on her personal dignity, safety, and most alarmingly, her independence as a legal professional engaged in upholding justice for the victims of the 1971 Liberation War.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Gravely Concerned Over the Politically Motivated Brutal Killing of Lawyer Sujon Mia in Moulvibazar

Paris, France; April 8, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based human rights organization, expresses its deepest outrage and unequivocal condemnation of the brutal and cowardly murder of Advocate Sujon Mia, a practicing lawyer at the Moulvibazar District Judge Court. He was fatally stabbed on the night of April 6, 2025, in what appears to be a politically motivated targeted killing.

This heinous act, committed in public under the watch of the current interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, reflects a grave deterioration of law and order and exposes the abysmal state of protection for legal professionals in Bangladesh today.

JMBF Founder President Holds Bilateral Meeting with French Embassy in Dhaka

Paris, France; April 02, 2025: Advocate Shahanur Islam, a prominent Bangladeshi human rights lawyer and the founder president of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), held a virtual bilateral meeting with Madame Emilie Palahouane, Political Affairs and Cooperation Attachée of the Embassy of France in Dhaka on Thursday morning.

During the one-and-a-half-hour discussion, Mr. Islam provided an overview of the human rights situation in Bangladesh under the current interim government, led by former Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus. 

JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter: January- March 2025

As we step into the first quarter (January to March) of 2025, the JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter continues to be a platform for reflection, inspiration, and progress. The start of a new year is always an opportunity to set fresh goals, embrace new challenges, and reaffirm our commitment to making a difference. 

Over the past few months, JMBF has been actively engaging with communities, driving meaningful projects, and fostering collaborations that pave the way for lasting impact. From empowering local entrepreneurs to funding educational initiatives, we have seen firsthand the transformative power of collective action. In this issue, we highlight some of these incredible efforts and the individuals behind them. 

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Cancellation of Pro-Awami League Lawyers Candidature in the Dinajpur District Advocate Bar Association Election

Paris, France; March 31, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemns the politically motivated canceliation of the Pro-Awami League Lawyers Panel in the Dinajpur District Advocate Bar Association Election solely for their political belief on March 29, 2025. This incident represents a blatant violation of democratic principles and the fundamental rights of legal professionals to participate in a free and fair electoral process, as well as a violation of human rights.

JMBF immediately urges the government of Bangladesh to reschedule the election, restore the candidature of Pro-Awami League lawyers, and ensure a free and fair election environment for the Dinajpur District Advocate Bar Association Election 1432 Bangabdha.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Politically Motivated Murder Case Against Eight Prominent Journalists in Dhaka

Paris, France; March 29, 2025 – JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based human rights watchdog, expresses grave concern and strong protest over the politically motivated and baseless case filed against eight distinguished journalists in Dhaka, accusing them of involvement in the tragic deaths and injuries during the July uprising on July 19, 2024. JMBF unequivocally condemns the filing of this case, which is a clear attempt to silence independent media voices and suppress the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Gravely Concerned Over Police Brutality on Garment Workers' Peaceful Protest in Dhaka

Paris, France; March 26, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns and protests police brutality against garment workers during their peaceful protest in Dhaka on March 25, 2025. The police’s deployment of sound grenades, tear gas, and baton charges against unarmed workers demanding their rightful dues before Eid ul-Fitr, resulting in approximately 40 workers being injured, is a flagrant violation of human rights and an unacceptable abuse of power.

JMBF urges an immediate investigation into the police's excessive use of force, accountability for those responsible, and the fulfillment of workers' demands for unpaid wages, Eid bonuses, and maternity leave. Furthermore, the government must protect workers' right to protest and ensure that victims of police brutality receive proper treatment and compensation.