The US Department of State has released its annual report on human rights in Bangladesh for 2024. The report says that the human rights situation in Bangladesh has stabilized after the change in governance. However, some concerns remain.

On Tuesday night, like every year, the US State Department expressed its own views on the human rights situation in various countries around the world.

The report summarizes Bangladesh as follows: After weeks of student protests and clashes with police and the Awami League student wing that left hundreds dead, then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 5 last year. Later, on August 8, the president formed an interim government with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus as his 'chief advisor' (equivalent to the prime minister).

The human rights situation in the country has stabilized following some of the August events, although concerns remain about some issues.

The report says that the human rights issues that are worthy of mention during the previous government's tenure include arbitrary or extrajudicial killings, disappearances, torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary arrest or detention, government harassment of critics abroad, severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the media, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, arbitrary arrest or trial of journalists, and censorship, significant restrictions on freedom of association, violence or threats against individuals working on labor rights or members of labor unions, and the significant prevalence of the worst forms of child labor.

The report also noted that there were numerous reports of widespread impunity for human rights violations under the previous government, with little credible action taken to identify and punish officials or law enforcement officials who committed human rights violations. Since the fall of the government, the current interim government has arrested many members of the previous government for human rights violations.

Credible reports by various human rights organizations and media outlets have documented serious human rights violations by the Chhatra League, the student wing of the former ruling Awami League, in July and August. The interim government is working closely with the United Nations on these issues. Both the country's conventional justice system and the International Criminal Tribunal are being used to ensure accountability of perpetrators.