Full report: Odhikar Bangladesh July 2018 Human Rights Report

The human rights situation of July 2018 has been analyzed in this report. The main element of democratic rule – the electoral system – has been destroyed through the farcical National elections of 2014 and the Awami League reassumed power for a second term, through this controversial election. As a result, the unaccountable government has created a fearful environment in the country by recklessly violating human rights. Ahead of the upcoming 11th Parliamentary elections in December 2018, the ruling party has started a complete crackdown on the opposition political parties and dissenting voices since the beginning of the year, which took a turn for the worse in July. During this period, rights to freedom of assembly and association of the opposition parties, alternative believers and dissidents were violated. Leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League affiliated student organisation Chhatra League and members of law enforcement agencies have attacked on protesting students who are engaged in the quota reform movement. During such attacks, Chhatra League4 leaders- activists beat and severely injured quota reform movement leaders and demonstrators, sexually harassed female protestors and also threatened to rape them. Furthermore, teachers of different universities, including Dhaka University were threatened and assaulted by Chhatra League activists. Members of law enforcing agencies arrested and tortured protestors and pro-government doctors forcibly ousted injured students, from public hospitals.