Press Release: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) concerns over human rights violations against Bangladeshi MPs

November 12, 2025, Canada:

Global Center for Democratic Governance (GCDG) welcomed the Decision on Members of Bangladesh Parliament adopted unanimously by the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Governing Council at its 216th session in Geneva on 23 October 2025 against alleged human rights violations, threats and acts of intimidation, arbitrary arrest and detention, inhumane conditions of detention, and lack of due process.

On 2 October 2025, the President of the Global Center for Democratic Governance (GCDG) met the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, and the IPU Human Rights Team at Geneva, Switzerland, and handed over reports of GCDG on 122 arrested MPs, including 15 Women MPs of the Bangladesh Parliament. Those who are currently in detention in Bangladesh are facing multiple ongoing criminal proceedings.

Among them, Heroic Freedom Fighter and former minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun died in custody on 29 September 2025. Eight other MPs are on temporary bail.

The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union expresses its firm hope, therefore, that the interim authorities will take all necessary measures to ensure that candidates from all political parties, including the Awami League, and their supporters are able to fully exercise their fundamental right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, on an equal footing with other parties and their supporters;

The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union calls on the interim authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the creation and preservation of conditions conducive to the holding of free, fair and transparent elections announced for early 2026, the outcome of which can be accepted by all stakeholders; reaffirms the readiness of the IPU to provide support to these efforts; and requests in this regard the competent authorities to communicate, at the earliest opportunity, official information on how such assistance can most effectively be provided;

 Decision adopted unanimously by the IPU Governing Council at its 216th session (Geneva, 23 October 2025)