JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF): RULE OF LAW

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Friday, October 10, 2025

PRESS RELEASE: JMBF Statement on the 23rd World Day Against the Death Penalty

“বাংলা ভাষার সম্পূর্ণ সংস্করণ দেখার জন্য, নিচে স্ক্রল করে ‘More’ এ ক্লিক করুন।” "Pour consulter les versions complètes en français, faites défiler vers le bas et cliquez sur ‘Voir plus’.”

Paris, France; October 10, 2025: On Friday, 10 October, the 23rd World Day Against the Death Penalty, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) calls upon the Bangladeshi government to urgently reconsider its continued use of capital punishment. The number of prisoners on death row in Bangladesh has risen sharply over the years: from 1,009 in November 2011 to over 2,000 in June 2021, with at least 169+ death sentences in 2022 and 248+ in 2023. In 2025, more than 2,400 individuals currently remain on death row. These figures reflect systemic issues, including trials plagued by delays, inadequate legal representation, and procedural irregularities, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Deeply Concerned and Strongly Condemns Continuous Threats and Attacks Against JMBF Secretary General Advocate Mohammad Alamgir

"Pour consulter les versions complètes en français, faites défiler vers le bas et cliquez sur ‘Voir plus’.”

Paris, France; October 09, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deepest concern and strongest condemnation over the continuous threats, intimidation, and violent attacks directed against Advocate Mohammad Alamgir, the respected Secretary General of JMBF, for his courageous and professional engagement in defending victims of persecution, including members of the LGBTQI+ community, and for upholding the rule of law and justice in Bangladesh.

Over the past year, Advocate Alamgir has been repeatedly subjected to life-threatening attacks, harassment, and extortion demands by individuals and groups affiliated with BNP–Jamaat and Islamic fundamentalist elements, who have sought to silence him for his unwavering commitment to human rights and justice.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Strongly Condemns and Protests the Killing of 3 Indigenous Youths in Kharachhari During Anti-Rape Protest

Paris, France; 8 October 2025: Paris-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and outrage over the killing of three indigenous teenagers and the serious injury of at least 14 others during a protest in Guimara Upazila, Kharachhari district, Bangladesh, on 28 September. The protest was held against the rape of a hill girl. This incident is a horrifying example of the severe deterioration of human rights and state repression in Bangladesh.

JMBF strongly believes that despite the fact that the perpetrators were not arrested or punished, the firing upon peaceful anti-rape protesters is illegal, inhumane, and contrary to the Constitution and international human rights law.

How the Yunus-Led Interim Government Has Turned Justice into a Tool of Political Repression in Bangladesh

By Advocate Shahanur Islam

I. The Criminalization of Law and Lawyers

It began, as so many stories of injustice do, with a courtroom and a promise of fairness that never came.

On 2 September 2025, twelve lawyers in Barguna district walked into the District Sessions Judge’s Court—heads high, robes pressed, faith intact. They had come not as fugitives, but as officers of the court, surrendering in good faith to defend themselves against false and fabricated charges of vandalism and arson at a local BNP office.

The judge denied their bail. They were taken away in handcuffs.

Eight days later, on 10 September, the High Court granted six weeks’ bail to ten of them. For their families waiting outside prison gates, it was a moment of relief—wives preparing meals, children waiting at the door. But as the release orders reached the jail, the cruel machinery of the Muhammad Yunus–led interim government moved again.

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) Joins the Plateforme Droits de l’Homme (PDH)

Paris, France; October 4, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) received formal membership in the Plateforme Droits de l’Homme (PDH), a collective of French NGOs dedicated to promoting and defending human rights internationally, on October 1, 2025.

The PDH, established in 2017, provides a vital space for collaboration, exchange, and mutual support among French NGOs engaged in international human rights work. By joining PDH, JMBF aims to strengthen its connections with other civil society actors, enhance its visibility, and contribute to collective efforts in advocacy and human rights promotion.

JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter: July-September 2025

As we conclude the third quarter (July to September) of 2025, we are inspired by what has been achieved and energised by what lies ahead. This year began with a clear intention: to embrace new challenges, set bold goals, and recommit to sustainable progress. In just a few months, that vision has already taken root, fuelled by the passion of partners, volunteers, and everyday changemakers.

Their dedication reminds us that true impact is not only about scale, but about depth, connection, and consistency. The stories, reports, and actions highlighted in this edition are a testament to that spirit of resilience and solidarity. Looking forward, we are preparing to launch new initiatives—rooted in innovation, equity, and empowerment—that will expand access, strengthen partnerships, and uplift unheard voices.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern Over Re-Arrest of 10 High Court-Bailed Lawyers at Jail Gate on Sabotage Charges in Barguna

Paris, France; 24 September 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep anger and condemnation over the re-arrest of 10 lawyers in Barguna who had secured bail from the High Court. On 15 September, just as they were about to be released, they were re-arrested at the jail gate on charges of sabotage and sent back to prison.

JMBF firmly believes that this incident constitutes a blatant violation of the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and human rights in Bangladesh, and reflects clear political retaliation. Such actions not only undermine justice and democracy but also seriously threaten the safety and professional independence of lawyers, with a deeply negative impact on Bangladesh’s democratic system and human rights situation.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern and Strong Protest Over the Death of Awami League Leader in Gaibandha Jail Due to Torture and Medical Negligence

Paris, France; 23 September 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has expressed deep concern over the death of Abu Bakkar Siddiq Munna, former Vice-President and former Chairman of Kanchipara Union, Fulchhari Upazila, Awami League, allegedly due to torture and medical negligence while in Gaibandha District Jail in the early morning of 22 September 2025.

JMBF firmly believes that this planned killing, carried out through politically motivated torture and denial of medical care, constitutes a gross violation of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh and international human rights declarations.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Deaths of Two Detainees in Sylhet and Moulvibazar Custody of RAB and PBI – JMBF Expresses Deep Concern and Strong Condemnation

Paris, France; September 17, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and strong condemnation over the deaths of two detainees in the custody of law enforcement agencies in Sylhet and Moulvibazar on 14 and 15 September 2025.

JMBF firmly believes that the deaths of these detainees in the custody of specialized units, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), are not only a threat to the rule of law and the judicial system in Bangladesh, but also constitute a gross violation of the Bangladesh Constitution and fundamental human rights as enshrined by the United Nations. These incidents pose a serious threat to Bangladesh’s international human rights commitments.

URGENT APPEAL: JMBF’s Call on the Occasion of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights Delegation Visit to Bangladesh

To read the Bengali and French versions, please scroll down.

Honorable Members,

Greetings from JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based independent, non-profit, and non-political human rights organization, established under the framework of the United Nations Human Rights Charter (Bill of Rights).

On the occasion of your visit to Bangladesh from 16 to 18 September 2025, JMBF expresses deep concern over the extremely serious violations and deterioration of law and order, economic conditions, and human rights under the interim government of Bangladesh, currently led by Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Calls for the Withdrawal of the Death Penalty Provision in the Proposed Anti-Enforced Disappearance Law

To read the Bengali and French versions, please scroll down.

Paris, France; 10 September 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern over the incorporation of the death penalty as the maximum punishment in the proposed Anti-Enforced Disappearance Law, approved by the Interim Government of Bangladesh Advisory Council in its meeting on 28 August 2025, which is clearly contrary to fundamental human rights principles.

While strict legislation is necessary to prevent serious crimes such as enforced disappearances, JMBF firmly believes that the death penalty is never justifiable under any justice system. Capital punishment stands in direct contradiction to the principles of human rights, the right to life, and justice. It allows no scope for remedy and, in cases of wrongful conviction, causes irreparable harm.