 "Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh. File image/ Reuters")
Amid increased crackdown on political opponents in the country, the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, has established a new five-member commission to probe allegations of manipulation in national elections held under the Awami League in 2014, 2018, and 2024.
The new committee has thus replaced a previously formed panel.
According to a Cabinet Division gazette notification issued on Tuesday night (July 29), the commission’s mandate includes reviewing claims of electoral irregularities and proposing reforms to ensure “credible and participatory polls” in the future.
The notification highlighted that the elections in question faced “widespread criticisms both at home and abroad” for alleged violations of constitutional obligations, particularly the requirement to govern through elected representatives.
To address these concerns, the commission has been tasked with recommending actionable measures to safeguard the integrity of future elections.
Led by retired High Court Justice Shamim Hasnain, who also chaired the dissolved committee, the new commission retains the same members: former Additional Secretary Shamim Al Mamun, Dhaka University law faculty Associate Professor Kazi Mahfuzul Haque Supan, Advocate Barrister Tajrian Akram Hossain of the Dhaka District and Sessions Judge Court, and election expert Dr. Md Abdul Alim.
The scope of the commission’s work remains unchanged, but the deadline for submitting its report has been extended by one month, from September 30 to October 31.
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Meanwhile, concerns about democratic freedoms have surfaced.
In May, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that recent legislative moves by Bangladesh’s interim government risk undermining fundamental rights.
The organisation criticised the government for attempting to “suppress the rights” of supporters of the deposed Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina.
On May 12, the interim government imposed a “temporary” ban on the Awami League, leveraging new powers under a controversial amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act.
HRW noted that this ban, which will remain in place until party leaders face trial for alleged abuses during their 15-year rule, effectively proscribes the party and could last for years.
Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at HRW, stated, “Sheikh Hasina’s government abused legal powers to silence political opponents, but using similar methods against the supporters of her Awami League party would also violate those same fundamental freedoms.”
The New York-based rights group expressed concern that, rather than fulfilling its pledge to reform the criminal justice system and ensure accountability, the interim government’s actions may further erode democratic principles in Bangladesh.