Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Extrajudicial Killing of Md. Touhidul Islam Due to Inhumane Torture by Joint Forces in Kumilla

Paris, France; February 1, 2025: France-based legal and human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its deepest outrage and condemnation over the alleged extrajudicial killing of Md. Touhidul Islam, a 40-year-old leader of the Jubo Dal, reportedly died due to inhumane torture inflicted by joint forces led by the Bangladesh Army on January 31, 2025, in Cumilla.

This heinous act of extrajudicial killing represents a gross violation of human rights as declared by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh, national laws, and international human rights instruments to which Bangladesh is a party.

JMBF demands an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Md. Touhidul Islam. This investigation must be conducted by a justice of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, not under military jurisdiction, to ensure credibility and justice.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Forceful Withdrawal of Candidature in District Advocate Bar Association Election 2025 in Naogaon and Sirajganj

Paris, France; January 30, 2025: France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the recent violent and unlawful actions that have taken place in the relation of District Advocate Bar Association Executive Body Elections, held on January 30, 2025, across various regions of Bangladesh, including Naogaon, Sirajganj, and Rajbari.

The incidents on January 25 & 24, 2025, in Naogaon, January 16, 2025, in Sirajganj, and January 29, 2025, in Rajbari, where members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and political figures affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Amar Bangla (AB) Party forced the withdrawal of independent and Coordinated Lawyer Council candidates backed by the Bangladesh Awami League for the District Advocate Bar Association Executive Body Election 2025 through physical assault, harassment, coercion, threats of violence, and intimidation, represent a gross violation of human rights. These actions are a direct attack on the very principles of justice, rule of law, and democracy.

JMBF calls on the Bangladesh Government to take immediate and decisive action to hold the perpetrators accountable, cancel these one-sided elections, and reschedule the date for the District Advocate Bar Association Election. Additionally, JMBF demands that the government ensure the safety of all candidates and lawyers involved in these elections and guarantee that these violent acts never again threaten the democratic rights of the people of Bangladesh.

Recruitment Announcement: Bar Representative-Lawyer (Volunteer, Unpaid)

Position: Bar Representative-Lawyer (Volunteer, Unpaid)

Organization: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)

Programme: Combatting Violence Against Lawyers in Bangladesh

About Us:

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is a France-based, independent, non-profit, and nonpartisan human rights organization registered in France (Registration No. W931027714 under the Association Law of 1901). JMBF is dedicated to defending human rights, advocating for justice, and empowering communities in Bangladesh and beyond. Learn more at www.jmbf.org.

Our mission is to promote, defend, and educate on human rights, including civil and political rights, irrespective of sex, caste, race, or faith. We provide legal advocacy and support for Bangladeshi lawyers who are at risk due to their professional work addressing human rights violations.

JMBF is currently seeking passionate and committed Bar Representatives-Lawyers (volunteer, unpaid) for all courts to join our Combatting Violence Against Lawyers in Bangladesh Programme.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Discriminatory Actions Against Homosexual Assistant Professor by Islamic University, Kushtia

Paris, France; January 29, 2025: The France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh Foundation (JMBF), expresses its deep concern and condemnation over the decision by Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia to place Assistant Professor Hafizul Islam on mandatory leave for one year and cancel his annual increment, following allegations of homosexuality on January 26, 2025. These punitive measures represent a gross violation of human rights, freedom of expression, and dignity.

JMBF asserts that this action, stemming from allegations alone and without transparent due process, not only tarnishes the reputation of a faculty member but also sets a dangerous precedent for perpetuating discrimination and stigmatization of individuals based on their sexual orientation. Such practices go against Bangladesh’s constitutional commitment to equality and justice for all citizens and stand in direct conflict with global human rights standards.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Denounces Police Brutality on Peaceful Assembly by Ibtedayi Teachers in Dhaka

Paris, France; January 26, 2025: France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its deepest concern and strongest condemnation of the violent police assault on peaceful Ibtedayi teacher protesters at Shahbagh, Dhaka, today, January 26, 2025. The brutal use of batons, sound grenades, water cannons, and tear gas against Ibtedayi teachers—six of whom, including one woman, were injured—constitutes a blatant violation of human rights, Bangladesh’s Constitution, and international human rights standards.

JMBF asserts that the Ibtedayi teachers, under the Ibtedayi Madrasa Teachers' Unity Alliance, were peacefully marching to demand the nationalization of their jobs and the implementation of a six-point demand, a legitimate cause recognized by recommendations from the Dhaka University Institute of Education and Research. This peaceful demonstration was met with unprovoked violence by the authorities, which is unacceptable in a democratic society.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns and Protests the Recent Unjust Detention of Two Lesbian Women at Islamic University, Kushtia, on Allegations of Homosexuality

Paris, France; January 23, 2025: France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), is deeply alarmed and outraged by the recent detention of two lesbian women at Khaleda Zia Hall of Islamic University (IU). Among the detained women, one student was forcefully expelled from the university residence hall, while another woman was handed over to the police solely because of their sexual orientation on January 21, 2025.

JMBF asserts that the actions taken by the hall authorities—including the unjust detention of these two women, the expulsion of a lesbian residential student based on allegations of homosexuality, and the handing over of an outsider to police custody—constitute a gross violation of human rights, blatant discrimination, and a disregard for the principles of justice and human dignity.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Vehemently Condemns Violent Attacks on Indigenous Student Protesters and Police Repression in Dhaka

Paris, France; January 19, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its profound concern and unequivocal condemnation of the recent violent attacks on Indigenous students and their supporters during a peaceful gathering on January 15, 2025, in front of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) office in Motijheel, Dhaka. The attack carried out in response to their protest against the removal of graffiti featuring the word "Indigenous" from school textbooks, is a clear violation of human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

JMBF also strongly condemns the subsequent police crackdown on a peaceful rally organized by the "Discontented Indigenous Students" on January 16, 2025, to besiege the Secretariat in Dhaka. These actions represent egregious violations of human rights, freedom of assembly, and the right to peaceful protest, all of which are protected under both national and international law.

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.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Custodial Death and Torture by Joint Forces in Sonaimuri, Noakhali

Paris, France; January 14, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its strongest condemnation of the alleged custodial death of Abdur Rahman and the severe injury of Habibur Rahman due to torture by the Joint Forces, led by the army, in Sonaimuri, Noakhali, on January 13, 2025.

JMBF asserts that this grave incident of torture, arbitrary detention, and denial of timely medical treatment constitutes a blatant breach of Bangladesh’s Constitution, national laws, and international human rights standards, leading to gross human rights violations.

JMBF urges the exemplary punishment of the perpetrators involved in these gross human rights violations through a transparent and speedy tribunal following an impartial judicial investigation led by a justice of the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Recent Violent Attacks on Cultural and Spiritual Heritage Sites in Bangladesh

Paris, France; January 12, 2024 – The France-based human rights organization, JusticiteMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemns and protests the recent attacks on the Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Kalu Shah (RA) Shrine in Mymensingh on January 8, 2025, the Al Chishti Shrine in Natore on the night of December 30, 2024, and the Doja Pir Shrine in Sherpur on November 26 and 28, 2024, by radical Islamic fundamentalist groups.

JMBF believes that this wave of extremist violence targeting cultural and spiritual heritage sites in Bangladesh represents an alarming escalation of intolerance, sectarian violence, and fundamentalist aggression against Bangladesh’s centuries-old traditions of Sufism and spiritual practices. These attacks are clear violations of human rights and religious freedom.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns Recent Killing of Bangladeshi Youth by BSF and Torture of Norwegian Citizen at HSI Airport, Dhaka by LEA

Paris, France; January 9, 2025 – France-based human rights organisation, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the killing of Saidul Islam, a Bangladeshi youth, by Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) gunfire in Sunamganj, and the violent assault on a Bangladeshi-origin Norwegian citizen and his family at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by Airforce Quick Response Force (QRF) and Ansar personnel on January 8, 2025. These incidents highlight a shocking disregard for fundamental human rights, with victims subjected to excessive force and abuse, and underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to protect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their background.

Statement: JMBF Calls for Adequate Investigation into the Alleged Murder of Mau Hijra in Jessore

Paris, France; January 2, 2025: France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), is deeply appalled and outraged by the suspicious and tragic death of Mau Hijra in Jessore, Bangladesh, which appears to be a premeditated act of murder disguised as a natural death on December 1, 2024.

JMBF believes that such abhorrent acts not only represent a blatant violation of human dignity but also highlight the rampant impunity and discrimination faced by marginalized communities, particularly the Hijra community in Bangladesh.

The organization asserts that the allegations against Mau Hijra's house owner, Fateh Begum, along with her associates—who are accused of orchestrating her death and looting her possessions—demand an immediate and uncompromising investigation.

JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter (Oct-Dec 2024): Happy New Year 2025!

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As the year ends and we prepare to welcome 2025, I am filled with gratitude for the progress and milestones we have achieved together at JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF). In this final quarterly issue of 2024, spanning October to December, we reflect on our journey toward fostering justice and driving meaningful change in our communities. 

Read the full newsletter online or download it in PDF format by visiting the following link:https://www.scribd.com/document/810181965/JMBF-Quarterly-eNewsletter-December-2024

Throughout this period, JMBF has worked tirelessly to promote fairness, equality, and dignity for all. From impactful initiatives to advocating for marginalized voices, every effort is driven by our unwavering belief that justice is not just an ideal—it is a right for everyone.

Statement: JMBF Expresses Grave Concern Over Harassment and Abuse of Minority Communities in Chittagong

Paris, France; December 30, 2024:  France-based human rights organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern over the widespread harassment, extortion, and abuse of power targeting vulnerable Hindu religious and Dalit minority communities in Chittagong. These actions, perpetrated by law enforcement under the guise of investigating the tragic murder of lawyer Saiful Islam (Alif) at the Chittagong court premises, reveal a lack of impartiality and fairness in the investigative process.  

JMBF strongly urges the government to ensure the safety, dignity, and protection of marginalized groups, including the Harijan community. The incidents of vandalism, harassment, and communal violence following the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam must be thoroughly investigated, and the perpetrators must be held accountable without delay.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Unjust Dismissal of Five Journalists from Somoy TV under Alleged Pressure by Leader of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement

Paris, France; December 28, 2024: France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the reported dismissal of five journalists from Somoy TV on December 22, 2024, following alleged undue pressure exerted by Hasnat Abdullah, a prominent figure in the anti-discrimination student movement, on December 17, 2024.The dismissed journalists include Chief Input Editor Omar Faruk, Chief Output Editor Ariful Sajjad, Digital Head Kamal Shahriar, Associate Special Reporter Debashish Roy, and Senior Reporter Bulbul Reza.

Simultaneously, JMBF condemns the recent attacks on Daily Prothom Alo, Daily Star, and the banning of journalists from entering the Bangladesh Secretariat by canceling their press accreditation cards.

STATEMENT: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Arbitrary Arrest of Lawyer Syed Kabir Hossain Jony in Jessore

Paris, France; December 23, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a prominent France-based human rights organization, strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of lawyer Syed Kabir Hossain Jony, a member of the Jashore District Bar Association, by Jashore police on December 22, 2024, for merely performing his professional duty.

This deeply troubling action, taken shortly after Mr. Jony represented 167 Awami League leaders and activists in court, constitutes a grave violation of human rights and undermines national and international principles safeguarding the independence of lawyers and the judiciary.

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France urges the Government of Bangladesh to immediately and unconditionally release Syed Kabir Hossain Jony and drop all charges against him that criminalize his professional duties as a lawyer, as well as ensure the protection of all legal professionals from harassment and intimidation.