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

"Veuillez lire la version française ci-dessous."

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.

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

"Please read the French version below"

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.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Unjust Imprisonment of Eight Lawyers in Khulna: Calls for Immediate Release & Dropping of Charges

Paris, France; January 17, 2025: The France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), is deeply concerned and strongly protests the politically motivated imprisonment of eight pro-Awami League lawyers, as well as the implication of 28 pro-Awami League lawyers of the Khulna District Lawyers' Association in false and fabricated cases by pro-BNP lawyers. On January 12, 2025, these legal professionals were unjustly detained following an order by Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md. Sharif Hossain Haider, in connection with a case that many believe to be fabricated and politically driven.

JMBF asserts that this incident is not just an attack on these individual lawyers—it is an assault on the fundamental principles of justice, legal independence, and democracy in Bangladesh. The use of the judiciary as a tool to silence political opposition is a deeply troubling sign of authoritarianism creeping into the legal system. The very professionals who uphold the law are now being victimized by the system they have sworn to serve.

JMBF urges the immediate release of all eight detained lawyers, as well as the dropping of charges against all 28 lawyers without conditions.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns and Protests the Brutal Attack Against a Hindu Teenager Due to Alleged Blasphemy

Paris, France; September 05, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) vehemently condemns the violent assault on a 16-year-old minority Hindu boy from Khulna, Bangladesh, who was brutally beaten by a radical Islamic mob on the night of September 4, 2024. This heinous act, committed under the pretext of blasphemy accusations for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is a flagrant violation of human rights, freedom of speech, and the rule of law. Such violence cannot and must not be tolerated in a just and humane society.

PRESS STATEMENT:JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) Condemns the Tragic Demise of Bangladeshi Lawyer Lutful Kabir

[Paris, France: 21st July 2023] JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the untimely and tragic demise of lawyer Mr. Lutful Kabir Nowroz, whose lifeless body was found in a pond in Khulna's Batiaghata upazila on Sunday evening, 16th July 2023.

Lutful Kabir Nowroz, 58, served as the Public Prosecutor (PP) of the Anti-Corruption Special Tribunal in Khulna, southern Bangladesh, dedicating his life to upholding justice and fighting against corruption. His sudden disappearance and subsequent discovery in the pond have shocked the entire legal community and brought immense sorrow to all those who knew and worked with him.