The July Mass Uprising Ordinance 2026 — Legalized Impunity and a Catastrophe for Justice in Bangladesh

By Advocate Shahanur Islam

On 25 January 2026, the Government of Bangladesh issued the July Mass Uprising (Protection and Determination of Liability) Ordinance, 2026, a presidential decree that grants sweeping immunity to all participants in the July 2024 uprising. According to the ordinance, all civil and criminal cases filed against the participants are to be withdrawn, no new cases may be filed, and ongoing proceedings are to be stayed upon application. Even in cases of serious criminal allegations, including murder, the ordinance transfers the investigative responsibility from the judiciary to the National Human Rights Commission, while simultaneously shielding current and former law enforcement personnel from accountability in certain circumstances.

PRESS RELEASE: JMBF's Statement on the International Day of Endangered Lawyers 2026

Paris, France | 23 January 2026: On 24 January 2026, on the occasion of the International Day of Endangered Lawyers, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is compelled to state an uncomfortable truth: the gravest threat to the independence of lawyers in Bangladesh today stems not from chaos, but from governance failure under the current interim government led by Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Dismissal of Two University Teachers on Allegations of “Blasphemy” — A Gross Violation of Justice, Academic Freedom, and Human Rights

20 January 2026 | Paris, France: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a Paris-based human rights organization, strongly condemns and expresses deep concern over the dismissal of two respected teachers of the University of Asia Pacific (UAP) on 18 January following allegations of blasphemy.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern and Strongly Condemns the Death of a BNP Leader Allegedly Due to Torture in Army Custody in Chuadanga

Paris, France | 15 January 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern, outrage, and strongest condemnation over the death of Shamsuzzaman Dabloo (50), General Secretary of the Chuadanga Municipality BNP, allegedly as a result of torture while in army custody in Jiban Nagar, Chuadanga.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Death of an Awami League Leader in Jail Custody in Pabna Due to Lack of Medical Treatment

Paris, France | 12 January 2026: France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern and strongest condemnation over the death of renowned musician and Cultural Secretary of the Pabna District Awami League, Prolay Chaki, who died in custody in Pabna due to alleged medical negligence.

JOINT STATEMENT: Lawyer Killed in Mob Violence While Seeking High Court Bail in False and Fabricated Case Linked to Anti-Discrimination Movement in Bangladesh

France, Poland, Egypt, India, Srilanka, Kazakhstan, Indonesia | 09 January 2026: We, the undersigned human rights organizations, bar associations and individual legal experts, express our deep shock and grave concern over the brutal killing of Advocate Nayem Kibria (35), a pro–Awami League lawyer and practicing member of the Pabna District Judge Court, who was beaten to death by an organized mob in the Bashundhara Residential Area of Dhakaon the night of 31 December 2025.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern and Strong Condemnation Over the Brutal Torture of a Bus Driver by an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Sapahar, Naogaon

Paris, France | 07 January 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern, outrage, and strongest condemnation over the brutal torture of an innocent bus driver by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shamoli Rani Barman, her husband, and her bodyguard at the Sapahar Circle in Naogaon district.

Simultaneously, JMBF strongly urges the immediate initiation of an independent, impartial, and credible judicial investigation led by a sitting Judge of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh against the accused Assistant Superintendent of Police, her husband, and the involved bodyguard. JMBF further demands that all accused persons be relieved of all official duties during the pendency of the investigation.

JMBF Leadership Attends New Year Dialogue with French Parliamentarian in Paris

Paris, France | 6 January 2025: The leadership of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) participated in a New Year dialogue with Mr. Pouria Amirshahi, President of the French-Bangladesh Friendship Group at the French National Parliament, in Paris on January 05, 2026.

The meeting brought together key representatives of JMBF, including Mr. Robert Jan Paul Simon, Chief Adviser; Advocate Shahanur Islam, President; Advocate Mohammad Alamgir, Secretary General; Mr. Moynuddin Khan, Treasurer; and Ms. Jannatul Ferdaus, Member of the Executive Committee.

JMBF's Annual Activity Report 2025

 JMBF's Annual Activity Report 2025 by JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Deeply Condemns the Killing of a Pro–Awami League Lawyer in Organised Mob Violence

Paris, France | 01 January 2026: Paris-based human rights organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is deeply shocked and gravely concerned over the brutal killing of Advocate Nayem Kibria (35), a pro–Awami League lawyer and a practising member of the Pabna District Judge Court, who was beaten to death by an organised mob in the Bashundhara Residential Area of Dhaka on the night of 31 December 2025.

JMBF Compiled One Year eNewsletter 2025

 JMBF Compiled One Yearl ENewsletter 2025 by JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)

JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter December 2025 | HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026!

12. JMBF Quarterly eNewsletter, December 2025 by JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)

When Violence Becomes a Method in Bangladesh

Advocate Shahanur Islam

In Bangladesh today, violence no longer arrives as an unexpected shock. Under the current interim government led by Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus, alongside several renowned human rights activists, violence now arrives with familiarity, sequence, and intent. An attack occurs. There is brief outrage. Silence follows. Then another group becomes the next target.

Supporters and leaders of the Bangladesh Awami League are assassinated, assaulted, or intimidated. Baul and Lalon practitioners are threatened, their spaces disrupted. Folk singers fall silent. Hindu homes and temples are attacked, and lives are lost. Cultural institutions are vandalised. Sufi shrines are desecrated. Each incident is treated as isolated, yet together they form a single, deeply disturbing narrative.

JMBF Founder Shahanur Islam Presents Landmark Paper on Queer Asylum at Major European Conference

“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 | 21 December 2025: Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder President of the JusticeMakers Bangladesh Foundation (JMBF), presented a landmark paper at Shaping Tomorrow: Queer Asylum in Europe, a high-level international conference held in Amsterdam on 20 and 21 November 2025, organised by COC Netherlands.

The conference brought together activists, scholars, legal professionals, LGBTQI+ community organizers, and refugees to examine the rapidly evolving landscape of LGBTIQ+ asylum in Europe. Discussions focused on the impact of shifting asylum policies, changing societal attitudes, political discourse, and the introduction of the EU Migration Pacton people seeking protection due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern and Strong Condemnation over the Recent Series of Extremist Attacks on Media, Culture, Minorities, National History, and a Foreign Diplomatic Mission

“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 | 19 December 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is observing with profound anger, concern, and sorrow the recent series of horrific extremist violent incidents that took place across different parts of Bangladesh on the night of 18 December. The coordinated attacks on the offices of the country’s leading newspapers, The Daily Prothom Alo and The Daily Star; the national cultural institution Chhayanaut; members of minority communities; the remaining structures of the Bangabandhu Museum—an important symbol of the nation’s history; and the office of the Indian Assistant High Commission clearly demonstrate that Bangladesh has plunged into a state of extreme insecurity and that the state has gravely failed to fulfill its fundamental responsibilities.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Arrest of Senior Journalist Anis Alamgir under the Anti-Terrorism Act - A Naked Manifestation of State Repression Against Freedom of Expression

“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 I 15 December 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and profound outrage over the fact that the current interim government of Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has chosen an authoritarian and fascistic path by suppressing freedom of expression rather than protecting it, despite assuming power with commitments to uphold human rights, the rule of law, and unrestricted freedom of expression.

PRESS STATEMENT: JMBF Deeply Concerned Over the Announcement of the National Parliamentary Election Schedule Excluding Participation of the Bangladesh Awami League

“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 | 13 December 2025: The France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation over the announcement of the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election of Bangladesh by the Bangladesh Election Commission on 11 December, excluding the country’s largest, oldest, and Liberation War–leading political party, Bangladesh Awami League, from participating in the election by banning it through an executive order.