Bangladesh - November 2025

On 17 November, Bangladesh’s domestic war crimes court–the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)–found former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan (both tried in absentia) guilty of crimes against humanity for acts committed during the student-led protests in 2024 and sentenced them to death. The Tribunal found Hasina and officials guilty of authorizing the use of lethal force that led to up to 1,400 protester deaths and left thousands injured or disappeared. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights remarked that the verdict represents an ‘important moment for victims of the grave violations committed during the suppression of protests last year.’ However, the United Nations also criticized the use of the death penalty and expressed concerns about the fairness of the trials, particularly since they were conducted in absentia. Rights experts have urged the government to end reprisals, protect the rights of the accused, and work towards establishing a comprehensive system for national reconciliation. 

Sources: International IDEA, Human Rights Watch, United Nations, The Conversation, Al Jazeera, The Daily Star

On 13 November, the interim government announced that a referendum on constitutional and legal reforms will take place alongside the parliamentary elections in February 2026. This referendum aims to give legal force to the ‘July Charter,’ a landmark but non-binding document signed by 24 political parties in October after extensive debate. The Charter consolidates over 80 reform proposals from the interim government’s constitutional reform commission. The Charter aims to increase women’s political representation, impose term limits for the prime minister, enhance presidential powers, expand fundamental rights and protect judicial independence. It also proposes a bicameral parliament with a new 100-member Senate. Voters will cast a single yes/no vote on a question covering four consolidated issues. If approved, the next parliament will serve as a Constitutional Reform Council and have 180 days to implement the reforms. 

Sources: International IDEA, Chatham House, Dhaka Tribune, Consitutionnet

Ahead of the anticipated February 2026 election, the Bangladesh Election Commission launched a voting system to assist Bangladeshi expatriates to vote for the first time. Previously, expatriates had the right to vote, but no proper process to do so, with voting confined to in-person ballots in Bangladesh or limited paper-based ballots for certain groups. The postal ballots will now be supported by a mobile app called Postal Vote BD, whereby expatriates can register online, receive a physical ballot by mail, and then return the completed ballot to the Election Commission. According to the Election Commission, the new system aims to widen the franchise to its diaspora, potentially benefiting 15 million Bangladeshi citizens living abroad, including migrant workers. Experts note that it remains to be seen how the overseas voting system will be implemented.

Sources: Dhaka Tribune (1), Dhaka Tribune (2), Al Jazeera

On 6 November, the interim government’s Advisory Council granted final approval to the draft Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance (2025), which was promulgated by the President in early December. The ordinance marks Bangladesh’s first legal framework directly criminalizing enforced disappearances, marking an important step towards accountability. However, rights experts continue to criticize provisions such as the retention of the death penalty as a maximum punishment, the allowance for trials in absentia, and the denial of fair trial rights more broadly, which fall short of international standards.

Sources: Fortify Rights, The Daily Star, International IDEA