Violent campaign targets Bangladesh’s opposition: HRW

A repressive political environment ahead of the 30 December 2018 national elections is undermining the credibility of the polls process, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Saturday.

It called for protecting the candidates and urged the international actors to continue to publicly press the Bangladesh government to create the conditions for a credible election.

The New York-based rights group insisted that Bangladeshi authorities should impartially investigate allegations of election violence and ensure that those responsible are held to account.

Authoritarian measures, including widespread surveillance and a crackdown on free speech, have contributed to a widely described climate of fear, finds the 37-page report titled “Creating Panic”; Bangladesh Election Crackdown on Political Opponents and Critics”.

It observed that much of the campaign violence has targeted the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and the opposition coalition Jatiya Oikya Front (National United Front).

It added that while the police promptly opened investigations and made arrests in attacks on the ruling party, it ignored complaints from the opposition.

“While there have been violent attacks by supporters of all rival political parties, the authorities have failed to act impartially,” Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

It pointed out that the police have arrested and detained opposition members, but failed to act properly against ruling party supporters when they target opposition candidates.

“To ensure that the elections meet international standards, the police and election commission should not appear to be acting like extensions of the ruling party,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“The violence during the campaign that has mainly targeted the opposition bears out their misgivings about unfair treatment.”

Based on more than 50 interviews with political activists, students, and members of civil society, and analysis of court records and secondary sources, this report has documented repeated instances of arbitrary security force arrest and detention of protesters and political opposition figures, and acts of violence and intimidation by members of the ruling party’s student and youth wings.

Institutions, including the election commission, do not appear to be fully prepared to independently and fairly resolve disputes around campaigns and elections, such as on registration, candidacies, and results, according to the report.

The HRW called on the political leaders in Bangladesh to instruct their followers to end the rapidly escalating campaign of violence.

It found that the Bangladesh authorities have tried to stifle dissent and criticism including on newspapers, television networks, and on social media.

The right group quoted journalists as saying that the Digital Security Act (DSA) effectively prohibits investigative journalism.

Bangladeshis are under pressure to self-censor on social media or risk arrest. A newspaper editor told Human Rights Watch, “You have a culture of fear, an environment of fear.”

Widespread electoral violence started as soon as the candidate lists were formally approved, and campaigning began, the report mentioned.

On 11 December, two members of the ruling Awami League (AL) were killed in separate incidents, and on 16 December, a party office was vandalised.

The report went on to say, each of the main parties has blamed the other for the violence. But in cases when the victims belonged to the opposition, the police and election commission have typically declined to take action, or even to acknowledge that the incident occurred.

BNP candidate Mohammad Asaduzzaman told Human Rights Watch that after his campaign in Jhendaidah was attacked on 11 December, he has repeatedly filed complaints to the commission. “They acknowledge receipt, but take no action,” he was quoted to have said.

The media have reported a series attacks on BNP candidates including against Abdul Moyeen Khan on 12 December; Afroza Khanam Rita on 12 December; and on vehicles accompanying BNP secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on 11 December. Romana Mahamud, another BNP candidate, was injured during clashes between the police and her supporters on 15 December, the HRW report said.

On 14 December, alleged members of the ruling party attacked vehicles carrying the Oikya Front leader, Kamal Hossain. While he was unharmed, at least 25 other people were injured.

The prime minister’s political adviser, HT Imam, however, reportedly complained to the election commission that “the main target of the violence centring the elections is Awami League men.”

Amid this violence, the government has arrested more opposition members, including 150 on 14 December alone.

In the months leading up to the elections, according to the BNP, more than 300,000 leaders and activists have been accused in “false and fabricated” cases, and thousands have been arrested.

As the violence escalated, the paramilitary Boarder Guards Bangladesh (BGB) was deployed across the country on 18 December.

Bangladesh should take immediate steps to uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), including rights against arbitrary arrest and detention, the right to freedom of expression, and the right to political participation, Human Rights Watch said.

The United States has announced that it will send election observers, and the House of Representatives called on political leaders and judicial authorities to ensure that the elections are “impartial and inclusive.”

The European Union is deploying an election expert mission, the United Kingdom is supporting local monitoring, and the Commonwealth are considering a request for observers.

“To mitigate the risks of further violence before and after election day, all parties should insist that their supporters desist from violence and the authorities should uphold the law in a neutral fashion,” Adams said.

“International actors who care about stability and democracy in Bangladesh should continue to publicly press the Bangladesh government to create the conditions for a credible election.”